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Dark Illusion
Dark Illusion by Patricia Wilson released on Jan 25, 1995 is available now for purchase.
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 1992
17 people are currently reading
526 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wilson
240 books180 followersPatricia Wilson (1929 – 2010) was a best-selling writer of 53 romance novels for the Mills & Boon publisher from 1986 to 2004. She placed her novels primarily in England, Spain or France.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
May 21, 2020
I thought I would have liked this one more than I did, I usually love Patricia Wilson’s books. But the storyline dragged and didn’t grab my attention. The heroine (Joanna) was okay. But the hero (Nick) didn’t charm me like Patricia Wilson’s other heroes have. He was too cranky and manipulative. I’ve read better books by this author.
November 29, 2021
Stalkerific hero. A heroine who runs the gamut of emotions as she tries to know her own mind. There is a lot of movement in this novel. England, New York, an island in the Caribbean yet there seems to be plenty of time to develop secondary characters and create an actual relationship for the H/h. Hero is obsessed, but as the narrative goes on, he becomes more and more vulnerable and endearing. His grandmother was an interesting character as was his manservant.
March 17, 2022
Updated
July 16th, 2020
Re-read
September 17th, 2020
Updated
February 23rd, 2022
July 16th, 2020
I remember this book was so angsty, great chemistry between the main characters, I think hero was a kind of a stalker which I love in this type of books. I liked the book a lot, I don't know why a gave 4 stars, I think it deserves more, I will give 4.5 🌟 stars today and I hope to re-read it again and let see if it deserves more.
Re-read
September 17th, 2020
I will post updated comments soon.
Updated
February 23rd, 2022
Because I forgot to post comments about my last reread, I just have to tell you that I still LOVE the book, I will give it 4.5 🌟 stars because the missing of an epilogue. I've read many books by this author and as I remember any of them had an epilogue. Also I will add it to my "favorites" shelve, It's a book I want to reread from time to time.
August 14, 2016
Omg this is by far the best story of Patricia wilson.
The guy loves her and wants her so bad you feel the tension.
I don't know how she held out so long. He would have had me in two seconds flat with his smooth ways.
Omg the things he says to her!
Swoon worthiness to the max!
Loved it and recommend it!
The guy loves her and wants her so bad you feel the tension.
I don't know how she held out so long. He would have had me in two seconds flat with his smooth ways.
Omg the things he says to her!
Swoon worthiness to the max!
Loved it and recommend it!
September 18, 2019
'Why did you come back?' she asked in a whisper, her throat hurting badly.
'For the same reason I always come back,' he grunted angrily, 'to see you, to touch you, to damned well hope!'
-Joanna and Nick
Knowing that this book is a favourite amongmany of my gr-friends i have been wanting to read this book with great hopes,and this book being my first book by this author made it so much better.
But WOW,what a perfect made Unforgettable love-story "Dark Illusion" are.Wilson`s writing language threw me in a cinema where i simply wished this book to be made a movie someday!
The Romance totally blew me away and i fell completely in love with the main-characters (they are both so handsome on the cover).Joanna was a very bright character where i also detected a great loneliness,a young woman who searched to belong,and find her beloved.What she didn`t know was that he always had been right under her nose..watching her..hoping for her..chasing after her..and loving her as no man can love a woman.
Nick Martella-the half American-Italian Tyccon-are a hero to die for.God..Oh My God how i fell for him..and he is now one of my favourite heroes ever.He was an all kind of hero wrapped in one,Alpha-hero as a Irresistible,Dangerous,Sexy Swoon-worthy and a Romantic lover ALL woman wish for,even me!(dreamy sigh)
His obsessive and stubborn pursuit of her..and his jealous and possessive rage..LOVED IT!His romantic words,OH THEY WERE TO DIE FOR!
Nick´s words: (swoon)
'You will not die, Joanna,' he said silkily, 'unless it is the small death that lovers die in each other's arms. And I intend to be your lover"
or when he said:
'Then why are you crying? Why do you melt against me every time I touch you? Dio, you torture me, you torture both of us. I will give up every woman for a lifetime to have you for just one night!'
OMG CAN HE POSSIBLY BE MORE..MORE GAAHH!
Wilson didn`t write him off as a Typical Arrogant cold incapable of or untrustworthy of others.She described him in more depth to as who he was,why he did what he did,and of his feelings.It made him more alive in my eyes,and Joanna was a truly captivating heroine who finally fought for him-in the right way.She had a backbone and she was very brave to love a man like Nick-but aren`t all the heroines of hplandia..
With addicted eyes i took in everything of them together,their conversations,their feelings,arguments,angst,the love-scenes and OH the scene where they made love on the beach was sooo hot and beautiful at the same time.Patricia Wilson,ya made a HIT out of this one!
"Dark Illusion" are a truly severe,amazing and sexy love-story with a hero and heroine i will never forget.I still think of them very much now after finishing this book two hours ago.Perfectly made love-story Wilson,i will certainly read more books by you..!
'For the same reason I always come back,' he grunted angrily, 'to see you, to touch you, to damned well hope!'
-Joanna and Nick
Knowing that this book is a favourite amongmany of my gr-friends i have been wanting to read this book with great hopes,and this book being my first book by this author made it so much better.
But WOW,what a perfect made Unforgettable love-story "Dark Illusion" are.Wilson`s writing language threw me in a cinema where i simply wished this book to be made a movie someday!
The Romance totally blew me away and i fell completely in love with the main-characters (they are both so handsome on the cover).Joanna was a very bright character where i also detected a great loneliness,a young woman who searched to belong,and find her beloved.What she didn`t know was that he always had been right under her nose..watching her..hoping for her..chasing after her..and loving her as no man can love a woman.
Nick Martella-the half American-Italian Tyccon-are a hero to die for.God..Oh My God how i fell for him..and he is now one of my favourite heroes ever.He was an all kind of hero wrapped in one,Alpha-hero as a Irresistible,Dangerous,Sexy Swoon-worthy and a Romantic lover ALL woman wish for,even me!(dreamy sigh)
His obsessive and stubborn pursuit of her..and his jealous and possessive rage..LOVED IT!His romantic words,OH THEY WERE TO DIE FOR!
Nick´s words: (swoon)
'You will not die, Joanna,' he said silkily, 'unless it is the small death that lovers die in each other's arms. And I intend to be your lover"
or when he said:
'Then why are you crying? Why do you melt against me every time I touch you? Dio, you torture me, you torture both of us. I will give up every woman for a lifetime to have you for just one night!'
OMG CAN HE POSSIBLY BE MORE..MORE GAAHH!
Wilson didn`t write him off as a Typical Arrogant cold incapable of or untrustworthy of others.She described him in more depth to as who he was,why he did what he did,and of his feelings.It made him more alive in my eyes,and Joanna was a truly captivating heroine who finally fought for him-in the right way.She had a backbone and she was very brave to love a man like Nick-but aren`t all the heroines of hplandia..
With addicted eyes i took in everything of them together,their conversations,their feelings,arguments,angst,the love-scenes and OH the scene where they made love on the beach was sooo hot and beautiful at the same time.Patricia Wilson,ya made a HIT out of this one!
"Dark Illusion" are a truly severe,amazing and sexy love-story with a hero and heroine i will never forget.I still think of them very much now after finishing this book two hours ago.Perfectly made love-story Wilson,i will certainly read more books by you..!
June 26, 2017
Joanna's life plan included marriage to Martin, her friend since childhood. But then Martin instead went and proposed Rina, 19.
For inexplicable reasons, Rina is getting married from Joanna's stepfather's stately home, and with one exception everyone is either ignoring Joanna's prior claim to Martin, or is selfishly ignorant of it (i.e. Joanna's mother).
Rina's uncle Nick, however, is all about giving Joanna the disapproving 'behave yourself' glares best associated with the type of hero I love to hate and Wilson's heroines invariably fall for. Joanna doesn't like Nick. She doesn't like him in the sense that she can't articulate her fear. She (maybe) wants to climb all over him, but certainly knows that doing so will result in pain and humiliation. He's a business associate of her stepfather, and for posh English reasons, is frequently invited to hung out at the stately home, and is mentally counting down the years until it isn't too gross to climb on Joanna.
Nick has arrived in a helicopter, trailed by Joanna's author dad. Joanna's selfish mother divorced author dad because he wasn't posh, and married an upper class twit owner of a stately home. Author dad went off to live on a tropical island, and Joanna visited him on holidays. Any happy reunion between father and daughter is pushed aside because Nick wants to lecture Joanna on her Duties to the Bride.
And BTW, he is going to have sex on her. Very soon. Rina has agreed to get married at the stately home of some twit she's never met because uncle Nick is paying for the wedding. Further, this whole thing (orchestrating the marriage on Joanna's turf, bringing her father, ordering her around, and playing on her humiliation over the loss of Martin) is clearly Nick's head game strategy. If he can get her off balance, she's bound to fall into his bed!
Nick is upfront about his desire for sex with Joanna. He's rich. He has a vaguely aristo Italian family and upper-crust New York family, but he's also made his own pots of money by being all energetic and dynamic in business, and probably ruthlessly unpleasant. He's gorgeous and could have any woman he wants! He's clearly jealous of Martin. He's wanted Joanna since he first set eyes on her when she was 17, and perhaps he also has/had positive emotional feels for Joanna beyond a disinclination to seduce a teenager. It's a bit hard to tell, but Wilson likes the 'loved her and waited for her to grow up' hero, so he's potentially one of those.
I didn't quite get it. Nick is honest about what he wants, to a point. It's frustrating when I start interpreting some bad behaviour of the hero's as his internal struggle with the realisation that he's more emotionally invested in the heroine than he expected, or wanted, and is feeling guilty about his desire to have sex with her. I start feeling I'm giving him more leeway than he deserves. Maybe he really is struggling with feelings, but he's still being a jerk, and there's never much post-mortem of 'when I said/did that it was because I was fighting what I wanted, which was to tell you I loved you and would love you forever' to acknowledge it.
There's a particular scene where Nick is mean and Joanna is humiliated and it just feels manipulative, because Joanna is all caught up in what it means to be a 'good girl' and it's a real jerk move of a hero bent on seduction to, when he almost gets there, suddenly decide that he needs to deliver a savage and confusing diatribe on the heroine's character. Sure, it's a great way to sneak in some almost sexy times as a teaser, but it left some mucky emotional shadows.
He's not all bad. There are occasional hints that he does back off when Joanna makes it clear that he's frightening her. At one point she tells him that he's a threat, not a person, and he does reference that back to her later, so he clearly listened.
Wilson once again uses health and injury to demonstrate the development of caring: Joanna falls over and gets concussion, gets the flu and has an emotional breakdown when she receives some devastating news. Nick is increasingly present for these 'adventures.' I like the health and injury trope, but it did get a bit much in this book.
Jealousy over Martin continues as a theme. Joanna is 23, shy, and working as a fashion designer. Wonderfully, although this seems to disappear as the plot country hops and Nick and Joanna start getting closer, her job does resurface. Joanna does get some independence. Just not much.
While she quickly gets over Martin, it's not quite quick enough for Nick. Martin resurfaces as a point of conflict, which is frustrating since it becomes about Nick's reaction rather than Joanna's growth and independence.
In addition to being accident and virus prone, Joanna has a terrible relationship with her mother, which is far more important than what seems to be a fairly healthy relationship with author dad. It also doesn't prevent her from deciding she has to sacrifice herself out of a sense of obligation when the opportunity arises. Plus, she gets to frame her sacrifice as an example of her fondness for the upper class twit.
Of course, all these men are disappointments, and it would have been satisfying if Joanna had told Martin to get bent and left the twit to his own fate. Compared to alpha Nick all the men are weak and ineffectual, which made me sad for Joanna, because it would have been nice for her to at least have an effective dad.
It's always very easy to sympathise with Wilson heroines, and it's mostly easy to assume the best of her heroes. Dark Illusion has a lot of Wilson's classic tropes - the guilt-ridden heroine tormented by the realisation of her own desire and her pain when it looks like she may end up doing something that will result in a moral and emotional loss. Plus, getting sick and falling over. Joanna's not as zany as other Wilson heroines, and I think she's only mildly tortured by jealousy, but she still gets her fair share of adventure. Joanna and Nick spend a fair chunk of the book apart, which is probably a good thing for Joanna since she needed to get a little more confidence and to break away from her misery over how awful her mother was.
For inexplicable reasons, Rina is getting married from Joanna's stepfather's stately home, and with one exception everyone is either ignoring Joanna's prior claim to Martin, or is selfishly ignorant of it (i.e. Joanna's mother).
Rina's uncle Nick, however, is all about giving Joanna the disapproving 'behave yourself' glares best associated with the type of hero I love to hate and Wilson's heroines invariably fall for. Joanna doesn't like Nick. She doesn't like him in the sense that she can't articulate her fear. She (maybe) wants to climb all over him, but certainly knows that doing so will result in pain and humiliation. He's a business associate of her stepfather, and for posh English reasons, is frequently invited to hung out at the stately home, and is mentally counting down the years until it isn't too gross to climb on Joanna.
Nick has arrived in a helicopter, trailed by Joanna's author dad. Joanna's selfish mother divorced author dad because he wasn't posh, and married an upper class twit owner of a stately home. Author dad went off to live on a tropical island, and Joanna visited him on holidays. Any happy reunion between father and daughter is pushed aside because Nick wants to lecture Joanna on her Duties to the Bride.
And BTW, he is going to have sex on her. Very soon. Rina has agreed to get married at the stately home of some twit she's never met because uncle Nick is paying for the wedding. Further, this whole thing (orchestrating the marriage on Joanna's turf, bringing her father, ordering her around, and playing on her humiliation over the loss of Martin) is clearly Nick's head game strategy. If he can get her off balance, she's bound to fall into his bed!
Nick is upfront about his desire for sex with Joanna. He's rich. He has a vaguely aristo Italian family and upper-crust New York family, but he's also made his own pots of money by being all energetic and dynamic in business, and probably ruthlessly unpleasant. He's gorgeous and could have any woman he wants! He's clearly jealous of Martin. He's wanted Joanna since he first set eyes on her when she was 17, and perhaps he also has/had positive emotional feels for Joanna beyond a disinclination to seduce a teenager. It's a bit hard to tell, but Wilson likes the 'loved her and waited for her to grow up' hero, so he's potentially one of those.
I didn't quite get it. Nick is honest about what he wants, to a point. It's frustrating when I start interpreting some bad behaviour of the hero's as his internal struggle with the realisation that he's more emotionally invested in the heroine than he expected, or wanted, and is feeling guilty about his desire to have sex with her. I start feeling I'm giving him more leeway than he deserves. Maybe he really is struggling with feelings, but he's still being a jerk, and there's never much post-mortem of 'when I said/did that it was because I was fighting what I wanted, which was to tell you I loved you and would love you forever' to acknowledge it.
There's a particular scene where Nick is mean and Joanna is humiliated and it just feels manipulative, because Joanna is all caught up in what it means to be a 'good girl' and it's a real jerk move of a hero bent on seduction to, when he almost gets there, suddenly decide that he needs to deliver a savage and confusing diatribe on the heroine's character. Sure, it's a great way to sneak in some almost sexy times as a teaser, but it left some mucky emotional shadows.
He's not all bad. There are occasional hints that he does back off when Joanna makes it clear that he's frightening her. At one point she tells him that he's a threat, not a person, and he does reference that back to her later, so he clearly listened.
Wilson once again uses health and injury to demonstrate the development of caring: Joanna falls over and gets concussion, gets the flu and has an emotional breakdown when she receives some devastating news. Nick is increasingly present for these 'adventures.' I like the health and injury trope, but it did get a bit much in this book.
Jealousy over Martin continues as a theme. Joanna is 23, shy, and working as a fashion designer. Wonderfully, although this seems to disappear as the plot country hops and Nick and Joanna start getting closer, her job does resurface. Joanna does get some independence. Just not much.
While she quickly gets over Martin, it's not quite quick enough for Nick. Martin resurfaces as a point of conflict, which is frustrating since it becomes about Nick's reaction rather than Joanna's growth and independence.
In addition to being accident and virus prone, Joanna has a terrible relationship with her mother, which is far more important than what seems to be a fairly healthy relationship with author dad. It also doesn't prevent her from deciding she has to sacrifice herself out of a sense of obligation when the opportunity arises. Plus, she gets to frame her sacrifice as an example of her fondness for the upper class twit.
Of course, all these men are disappointments, and it would have been satisfying if Joanna had told Martin to get bent and left the twit to his own fate. Compared to alpha Nick all the men are weak and ineffectual, which made me sad for Joanna, because it would have been nice for her to at least have an effective dad.
It's always very easy to sympathise with Wilson heroines, and it's mostly easy to assume the best of her heroes. Dark Illusion has a lot of Wilson's classic tropes - the guilt-ridden heroine tormented by the realisation of her own desire and her pain when it looks like she may end up doing something that will result in a moral and emotional loss. Plus, getting sick and falling over. Joanna's not as zany as other Wilson heroines, and I think she's only mildly tortured by jealousy, but she still gets her fair share of adventure. Joanna and Nick spend a fair chunk of the book apart, which is probably a good thing for Joanna since she needed to get a little more confidence and to break away from her misery over how awful her mother was.
June 2, 2015
Super romantic angsty book which reminded me of those Vintage Harlequins I used to love so much. Swoon worthy, stalker, jealous, possessive hero and sweet classy heroine were perfect for each other!
December 14, 2021
So, maybe I'm in the minority but I liked this obsessed H. 🤷🏼♀️ I couldn't figure out what was wrong with our pearl-clutching h. In fact, SHE's the reason for 3 stars. She was just unlikable. {And that stupid as hell cover. No, this book isn't about two teens on a high school sight seeing trip to Washington DC. 🙄} The H is a stalkery, obsessed, contolling, jealous possessive older man who is rich and powerful. He uses that power and manipulation to get the younger virginal h into his wicked clutches. 😈 He ended up being pretty sweet under all the underhanded maneuvering. 😍 I thought he was great character.
She needed to get with program, IMO. 😅
Bottom Line? 3-stars for the buzzkill h and that ridiculous cover. 🤡
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - she see's H with OW, but they are all decoys
- OM drama - she starts the book in love with her childhood BFF - H steals her away
- dubcon-ish
- h a 23 yr old virgin
- H is an experienced 32-yrs old man but has been celibate since meeting the h
She needed to get with program, IMO. 😅
Bottom Line? 3-stars for the buzzkill h and that ridiculous cover. 🤡
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - she see's H with OW, but they are all decoys
- OM drama - she starts the book in love with her childhood BFF - H steals her away
- dubcon-ish
- h a 23 yr old virgin
- H is an experienced 32-yrs old man but has been celibate since meeting the h
dnf
May 15, 2017Wtf is this thing with "I love you but you have to say it first to prove your love for me"?!
Why can't a guy just tell the girl they love her without bullying them into bed! Yeah bud, that's gonna make her fall in love with you over the other guy in a heartbeat!!! NOT!
Why can't a guy just tell the girl they love her without bullying them into bed! Yeah bud, that's gonna make her fall in love with you over the other guy in a heartbeat!!! NOT!
July 21, 2017
"Dark Illusion" is the story of Nick and Joanna.
If you like crazy-possessive- stalkery heroes in old school romances- this is the book for you! It features a hero who relentless pursues our heroine, is literally ready to buy and keep the world at her feet, and will do anything to get her.
The heroine is in "love" with om (Martin) when the book starts, however Martin gets married to the hero's niece Rina- and at the same time the heroine realizes how the hero always haunts her dreams.
It's an obvious May- December romance with loads of passion and the heroine literally running away- while the hero abandons his responsibilities to chase her. There's also a subplot involving his niece and her ex best friend- but they only add to the angst and jealousy factor.
Safe
4.5/5
If you like crazy-possessive- stalkery heroes in old school romances- this is the book for you! It features a hero who relentless pursues our heroine, is literally ready to buy and keep the world at her feet, and will do anything to get her.
The heroine is in "love" with om (Martin) when the book starts, however Martin gets married to the hero's niece Rina- and at the same time the heroine realizes how the hero always haunts her dreams.
It's an obvious May- December romance with loads of passion and the heroine literally running away- while the hero abandons his responsibilities to chase her. There's also a subplot involving his niece and her ex best friend- but they only add to the angst and jealousy factor.
Safe
4.5/5
December 8, 2015
You literally get swept away and have the rug pulled under you. Nick is a swoon worthy hero. This book is about plotting and the irresistable chase. Having his personal chef in his restaurant whip you up this glorious dreamy castle dessert is simply magical.
April 7, 2013
Sigh-wothily romantic. Nobody does stalkerific heroes like Patricia Wilson and this one certainly doesn't disappoint.
February 28, 2022
The title is a mystery for me.
And the cover is not very appropriate, because H/h never look so relaxed through all the book.
But the book is very good.
The hero is a billionaire who is obsessed with the heroine but, since we have to read a good book and he isn't very smart himself, he doesn't try to woo her properly as any sane man would do, he prefers to dismantle all the heroine's life shocking her repeatedly with his viciousness and lack of sensitivity and then he's offended and surprised that she doesn't fall at his feet like all the other women in the world.
Oh, he also dates ow, since this is something that in his twisted mind will make the heroine still more enamored of him. Yeah, right.
This man is not even an alpha man, he's an overwhelming brute, and not very pleasant.
In the beginning the heroine's boyfriend is getting married to his niece, and her house is the location for the wedding, so the hero asks the brokenhearted heroine to take care of the young bride, when the only thing she wants to do is hide in a corner and cry her eyes out.
Then, when the wedding is over, the hero crudely tells the heroine he offered her boyfriend a job to stay away from her, he introduced him to his niece and he proposed her the heroine's house as a location for marriage, so the heroine could realize that her beloved wasn't available anymore, then he advises her that he wants her for herself and kindly offers to wait for two months for her to forget om.
How cruel and psycho is this?
And after this of course the heroine hates him with all her heart and all the book is the idiot hero stalking her and having her cornered.
I wonder how the heroine could fall in love with him after all he's done to her.
Eventually he confesses that he loved her since he first saw her 6 years before, when she was barely 17, but he waited for her.
Couldn't he act normally?
Buy her flowers for her birthday?
Wine and dine her?
Send her a basket with a fluffy puppy (this would work for sure!)? A kitten too?
Take her dancing until the wee hours?
Of course he could but then we wouldn't have our book to read.
Oh, and he was celibate since he met her, and all ow were only dinner partners, then home they go alone so his bedroom was really only his and his alone. He was labelled a womanizer but never really was, too busy with his job and then too in love with the heroine.
I like this author because her heroes are often celibate for years after meeting their heroines and this is good, no double standard allowed here, and the hero was a stalker idiot but never too cruel, more an insecure man, so yes, I enjoyed this book very much.
And the cover is not very appropriate, because H/h never look so relaxed through all the book.
But the book is very good.
The hero is a billionaire who is obsessed with the heroine but, since we have to read a good book and he isn't very smart himself, he doesn't try to woo her properly as any sane man would do, he prefers to dismantle all the heroine's life shocking her repeatedly with his viciousness and lack of sensitivity and then he's offended and surprised that she doesn't fall at his feet like all the other women in the world.
Oh, he also dates ow, since this is something that in his twisted mind will make the heroine still more enamored of him. Yeah, right.
This man is not even an alpha man, he's an overwhelming brute, and not very pleasant.
In the beginning the heroine's boyfriend is getting married to his niece, and her house is the location for the wedding, so the hero asks the brokenhearted heroine to take care of the young bride, when the only thing she wants to do is hide in a corner and cry her eyes out.
Then, when the wedding is over, the hero crudely tells the heroine he offered her boyfriend a job to stay away from her, he introduced him to his niece and he proposed her the heroine's house as a location for marriage, so the heroine could realize that her beloved wasn't available anymore, then he advises her that he wants her for herself and kindly offers to wait for two months for her to forget om.
How cruel and psycho is this?
And after this of course the heroine hates him with all her heart and all the book is the idiot hero stalking her and having her cornered.
I wonder how the heroine could fall in love with him after all he's done to her.
Eventually he confesses that he loved her since he first saw her 6 years before, when she was barely 17, but he waited for her.
Couldn't he act normally?
Buy her flowers for her birthday?
Wine and dine her?
Send her a basket with a fluffy puppy (this would work for sure!)? A kitten too?
Take her dancing until the wee hours?
Of course he could but then we wouldn't have our book to read.
Oh, and he was celibate since he met her, and all ow were only dinner partners, then home they go alone so his bedroom was really only his and his alone. He was labelled a womanizer but never really was, too busy with his job and then too in love with the heroine.
I like this author because her heroes are often celibate for years after meeting their heroines and this is good, no double standard allowed here, and the hero was a stalker idiot but never too cruel, more an insecure man, so yes, I enjoyed this book very much.
August 14, 2019
What did I just read? This was a train wreck of a story. The H was manipulative and controlling, making weird OTT possessive statements about the h and threatening her when she doesn't give into his craziness. Then again, once she stops being shy, she suffers from traitorous body syndrome, and can't help but succumb to his amorous attentions. None of this story was particularly romantic, unless you count the H constantly interrupting some business function or other to fly to be with the h, only to yell at her for disrupting his life. I mean, who could say no to that? Me, that's who.
Anyway, I was not impressed with this story. The one star I'm giving it is because the h managed to hold out for so long. There are many mentions of him having lots of women in his past (and present). Being a well known businessman and millionaire, he is linked to quite a few women, but he admits that most of them were just passing acquaintances. It's unclear if he's been celibate for the six years since he's met the h. He claims to have been waiting for her to fall in love with him the whole time, but that could've just meant he was having lots of flings and not settling down, all the while waiting for her to see how awesome he is. Who knows? This is all to say I'm probably steering clear of this author in the future.
Anyway, I was not impressed with this story. The one star I'm giving it is because the h managed to hold out for so long. There are many mentions of him having lots of women in his past (and present). Being a well known businessman and millionaire, he is linked to quite a few women, but he admits that most of them were just passing acquaintances. It's unclear if he's been celibate for the six years since he's met the h. He claims to have been waiting for her to fall in love with him the whole time, but that could've just meant he was having lots of flings and not settling down, all the while waiting for her to see how awesome he is. Who knows? This is all to say I'm probably steering clear of this author in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2022
Two teenagers in love. One of them is in his 30s.
June 28, 2015
Wow! Loved the hero- his possessive/arrogant/passionate nature... What a man! awesome read...
March 22, 2022
This had really epic romantic lines from the hero, but idk somehow it felt just ok to me.
November 20, 2014
I liked this story. The hero was relentless in his pursuit of the heroine, making sure that her childhood love was removed from her life.
The book taking place in different locations made it more interesting (England, New York, the Caribbean).
There was plenty of good Harlequin-ish angst, too.
I do have to point out, however, that the dude on the cover looks like a dork.
The book taking place in different locations made it more interesting (England, New York, the Caribbean).
There was plenty of good Harlequin-ish angst, too.
I do have to point out, however, that the dude on the cover looks like a dork.
July 13, 2019
Just amazing...
June 20, 2020
One of the most possessive, obsessive, stalkerish alpha male in an old-school HP.
Loved it.
Loved it.
April 17, 2013
Loved it.
March 13, 2022
I have just read 22% and can say with certainty that I’m not going to like it.
When the hero and heroine are on the same page, it has the same level of aggravation as a drill machine carrying on outside your house the whole day.
I’ve read 23% of it. Why does the hero always have a look of extreme irritation on his face when he looks at the heroine? Very unloving of him.
35% read. Hero is a narcissist. Scary. Sweet. Scary. Sweet.
52% read. I’ve changed my mind. Author has written the interactions between the hero and heroine very well. The love play (for want of a better word) seems very natural and not contrived.
Impressed.
I started with two stars. But I am giving it five. I loved the hero. He is gorgeous. Swoon worthy.
He falls for the heroine when she is 17 and he is 27. After that he just hovers and lurks around her on pretext of business with her stepfather.
She can’t stand him. But she dreams foreboding dreams of him.
He sees she is attached to a childhood friend. Draws him away. He befriends her father. He builds a house next to her father’s house.
He manipulates so heroine’s boyfriend marries hero’s niece.
Then he declares his intention of bedding heroine and making her his own.
I loved their interactions. They were the best part. One could see their enthralment for each other.
Definitely plan to reread this book in future.
Fun fact? It’s ending uses the same trope I used in my own book! A plane crash. It was uncanny. So very close to how I described in my book. Only in my book the hero thinks the heroine is on the fated plane.
Anyway. Loved this one.
It started off in a wobbly way. But how it developed.
Author is good. She keeps the tension throughout and one is held by the story.
So yep. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When the hero and heroine are on the same page, it has the same level of aggravation as a drill machine carrying on outside your house the whole day.
I’ve read 23% of it. Why does the hero always have a look of extreme irritation on his face when he looks at the heroine? Very unloving of him.
35% read. Hero is a narcissist. Scary. Sweet. Scary. Sweet.
52% read. I’ve changed my mind. Author has written the interactions between the hero and heroine very well. The love play (for want of a better word) seems very natural and not contrived.
Impressed.
I started with two stars. But I am giving it five. I loved the hero. He is gorgeous. Swoon worthy.
He falls for the heroine when she is 17 and he is 27. After that he just hovers and lurks around her on pretext of business with her stepfather.
She can’t stand him. But she dreams foreboding dreams of him.
He sees she is attached to a childhood friend. Draws him away. He befriends her father. He builds a house next to her father’s house.
He manipulates so heroine’s boyfriend marries hero’s niece.
Then he declares his intention of bedding heroine and making her his own.
I loved their interactions. They were the best part. One could see their enthralment for each other.
Definitely plan to reread this book in future.
Fun fact? It’s ending uses the same trope I used in my own book! A plane crash. It was uncanny. So very close to how I described in my book. Only in my book the hero thinks the heroine is on the fated plane.
Anyway. Loved this one.
It started off in a wobbly way. But how it developed.
Author is good. She keeps the tension throughout and one is held by the story.
So yep. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2022
4.5 to the moon and back stars. I’m only half stingy because the h got to me. I get she was unsure but she wasn’t as young to be so blind and her indifference got on my nerves.
Joanna is an English miss and a tad bit cold and stiff -as she’s reminded of a few times- and in love with a guy who’s soft and hearty. She’s known him since childhood and it is but final that one day they’d marry. And then one day it turns out that he ditches Joanna and instead settles for an heiress. For Joanna that feels like the ground just got snatched out from under her feet. She has no friend, no ally and no potential lover left to claim as her own.
Not only this but she also has to play bridesmaid to the woman this guy is marrying. Cruel. Even my heart hurt for Jo but she kept strong and didn’t crumble as she could’ve.
Nick is know to Joanna’s family for a long while. He’s a neighbour to her father and a business acquaintance to her mother and step-father’s family. She considers him as an arrogant man who’s forever watching her and makes a constant occurrence in her dreams.
Now with the coast clear, Nick reveals his ulterior motives of how he had been playing around to get rid of all obstacles that stood in his way in pursuit of his raging love/lust for Joanna.
Nick is like the devil; controlling, obsessed and a hundred steps ahead of her, guiding her heart and soul to fall irrevocably in love with him. The h is caught off guard because she’s never had anyone in her life give that much of a bother for her. Her father lives on his own but when her parents divorced her mother claimed custody so she’s been left to the care of her mom and step father. They’re both already busy and not so attuned to the growing emotional needs of Joanna.
And now Joanna has no one to run to except Nick, the man who had caused all of this havoc in her life to begin with.
“He suddenly bent and wrapped his arms round her, his lips seeking hers hungrily, possessive and devouring, and she had to struggle to get free.
'You'll get my germs,' she said shakily when he drew back and looked at her with amusement. He had felt her trembling response and she knew it.
'So? I want everything you've got. If you have a cold, it's mine.”
I kinda died several times reading this book. So this man didn’t say the words but he did get the moon for you. Are you really that dense to not tell water from wine. I almost wanted to hate the h but atleast she was loyal. She may have dallied but it also proved that she took her sweet time to make sure that their love would burn the house down.
Nick is the stuff of dreams. I wish PW would’ve been kinder to him. This man sold his soul a hundred times before getting an inch from the woman he loved! This will be a forever favourite!
Joanna is an English miss and a tad bit cold and stiff -as she’s reminded of a few times- and in love with a guy who’s soft and hearty. She’s known him since childhood and it is but final that one day they’d marry. And then one day it turns out that he ditches Joanna and instead settles for an heiress. For Joanna that feels like the ground just got snatched out from under her feet. She has no friend, no ally and no potential lover left to claim as her own.
Not only this but she also has to play bridesmaid to the woman this guy is marrying. Cruel. Even my heart hurt for Jo but she kept strong and didn’t crumble as she could’ve.
Nick is know to Joanna’s family for a long while. He’s a neighbour to her father and a business acquaintance to her mother and step-father’s family. She considers him as an arrogant man who’s forever watching her and makes a constant occurrence in her dreams.
Now with the coast clear, Nick reveals his ulterior motives of how he had been playing around to get rid of all obstacles that stood in his way in pursuit of his raging love/lust for Joanna.
Nick is like the devil; controlling, obsessed and a hundred steps ahead of her, guiding her heart and soul to fall irrevocably in love with him. The h is caught off guard because she’s never had anyone in her life give that much of a bother for her. Her father lives on his own but when her parents divorced her mother claimed custody so she’s been left to the care of her mom and step father. They’re both already busy and not so attuned to the growing emotional needs of Joanna.
And now Joanna has no one to run to except Nick, the man who had caused all of this havoc in her life to begin with.
“He suddenly bent and wrapped his arms round her, his lips seeking hers hungrily, possessive and devouring, and she had to struggle to get free.
'You'll get my germs,' she said shakily when he drew back and looked at her with amusement. He had felt her trembling response and she knew it.
'So? I want everything you've got. If you have a cold, it's mine.”
I kinda died several times reading this book. So this man didn’t say the words but he did get the moon for you. Are you really that dense to not tell water from wine. I almost wanted to hate the h but atleast she was loyal. She may have dallied but it also proved that she took her sweet time to make sure that their love would burn the house down.
Nick is the stuff of dreams. I wish PW would’ve been kinder to him. This man sold his soul a hundred times before getting an inch from the woman he loved! This will be a forever favourite!
October 4, 2018
Classic Harveyland romance with
Another extra silly heroine
“Nick Martella had taken everything from her, almost isolated her. His niece had married Martin. He had bought a piece of the most beautiful island in the world where she had spent so many happy hours, and now he had taken her father. Hatred came flooding back, hatred that had been submerged for a while in shock and fear. He was surrounding her! She had the terrible feeling that she would have to fight him right out in the open at some point, and she shuddered at the thought.”
And a determined hero
“One thing is for sure, though: after today I'll never see you again! Forget the mad idea about me, Mr Martella, because I'd rather die!'
'You will not die, Joanna,' he said silkily, 'unless it is the small death that lovers die in each other's arms. And I intend to be your lover. In two months I will be back.”
At least she had an intelligent friend
“He kidnapped you? Listen, we'll get the police!'
'No! Oh, no. I couldn't face that,' Joanna said quickly. 'After all, I went there of my own free will. I—I just didn't know how it would end.'
'You can visit people without then being kept against your will,' Eileen stated indignantly.”
She didn’t want Nick but feel like that?
“Joanna felt the sharp stab of some small pain as he turned and held out his hand to a woman who was obviously his companion for the evening.”
(...)
“The deep sadness she had felt when Martin had married was nothing like this. This was turbulent, outside her understanding.”
Hero was obsessed but seemed commitment phobic
“You must be content with your feline companion,' Joanna snapped spitefully, and he looked across at Celine critically, assessing her openly.
'Celine? She's decorative, willing and very easy to please. I am not, however, content with her. I doubt if I would ever be content with a woman.”
He redefined “possessiveness”
“You'll get my germs,' she said shakily when he drew back and looked at her with amusement. He had felt her trembling response and she knew it.
‘So? I want everything you've got. If you have a cold, it's mine.”
Their logic was totally different from mine
“Should she talk to him, tell him she could never go to him because she loved him?”
Anyway I liked it. I’ll look for other books of PW.
Another extra silly heroine
“Nick Martella had taken everything from her, almost isolated her. His niece had married Martin. He had bought a piece of the most beautiful island in the world where she had spent so many happy hours, and now he had taken her father. Hatred came flooding back, hatred that had been submerged for a while in shock and fear. He was surrounding her! She had the terrible feeling that she would have to fight him right out in the open at some point, and she shuddered at the thought.”
And a determined hero
“One thing is for sure, though: after today I'll never see you again! Forget the mad idea about me, Mr Martella, because I'd rather die!'
'You will not die, Joanna,' he said silkily, 'unless it is the small death that lovers die in each other's arms. And I intend to be your lover. In two months I will be back.”
At least she had an intelligent friend
“He kidnapped you? Listen, we'll get the police!'
'No! Oh, no. I couldn't face that,' Joanna said quickly. 'After all, I went there of my own free will. I—I just didn't know how it would end.'
'You can visit people without then being kept against your will,' Eileen stated indignantly.”
She didn’t want Nick but feel like that?
“Joanna felt the sharp stab of some small pain as he turned and held out his hand to a woman who was obviously his companion for the evening.”
(...)
“The deep sadness she had felt when Martin had married was nothing like this. This was turbulent, outside her understanding.”
Hero was obsessed but seemed commitment phobic
“You must be content with your feline companion,' Joanna snapped spitefully, and he looked across at Celine critically, assessing her openly.
'Celine? She's decorative, willing and very easy to please. I am not, however, content with her. I doubt if I would ever be content with a woman.”
He redefined “possessiveness”
“You'll get my germs,' she said shakily when he drew back and looked at her with amusement. He had felt her trembling response and she knew it.
‘So? I want everything you've got. If you have a cold, it's mine.”
Their logic was totally different from mine
“Should she talk to him, tell him she could never go to him because she loved him?”
Anyway I liked it. I’ll look for other books of PW.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2021
I remove obstacles that stand in my way!
Nick Martella wouldn't allow Joanna's love for another man to cause him any problems. Joanna, of course, resisted his high-handed attitude, but it seemed that wherever she went, whatever she did, Nick was always one step ahead of her. It was hard enought to deal with him in England, but on the small Caribbean island Nick called home, Joanna found it even more difficult to outmaneuver him. It was, though, only when Joanna realized that she was not only fighting Nick's single-minded pursuit of her, but her own growing love for him, that her problems really began!
Nick Martella wouldn't allow Joanna's love for another man to cause him any problems. Joanna, of course, resisted his high-handed attitude, but it seemed that wherever she went, whatever she did, Nick was always one step ahead of her. It was hard enought to deal with him in England, but on the small Caribbean island Nick called home, Joanna found it even more difficult to outmaneuver him. It was, though, only when Joanna realized that she was not only fighting Nick's single-minded pursuit of her, but her own growing love for him, that her problems really began!
December 4, 2021
“I’m here because you’re here. Why the hell should I be here for anything else? I’m chasing you, pursuing you, driving myself mad!”
“You torture me, you torture both of us. I will give up every woman for a lifetime to have you for just one night!”
“Right now I don’t have time for anything but chasing you. Pretty soon I won’t even have a business. You said I tore into you. You’re tearing me apart.”
All said by this wonderful man. The H. 🥰
And what does she say, after many, many pages of being romanced by him, both in words and in deeds?
She says on page 172: “I want to know if he loves me.” Omg. *facepalm*
“You torture me, you torture both of us. I will give up every woman for a lifetime to have you for just one night!”
“Right now I don’t have time for anything but chasing you. Pretty soon I won’t even have a business. You said I tore into you. You’re tearing me apart.”
All said by this wonderful man. The H. 🥰
And what does she say, after many, many pages of being romanced by him, both in words and in deeds?
She says on page 172: “I want to know if he loves me.” Omg. *facepalm*
January 6, 2019
I have searched for this book for what seems like forever and it was totally worth it. He was so obsessed with her and was willing to go to any lengths to have her. I will definitely be rereading it in the future.
March 31, 2014
I LOVE NICK MARTELLA
September 13, 2021
I pulled this one off the pile as part of my old/vintage HP Presents binge because I knew I got something good/cathartic. And I wasn't disappointed. It was perfectly funny, perfectly angsty, perfectly swoony, and just enough drama. It managed to captured and held my attention from the moment I started reading it.
I adored Nick. And oh, did I mention I also love him? Seriously, his possessiveness and slightly domineering attitude know no bounds. And he's surprisingly sweet at times. And I loved how honest he was to Joanna about his intentions.
Aside from Nick, I also liked Joanna's character. She's a very relatable heroine. And I really like how she stood her ground and did her absolute best to resist Nick. But despite that, the chemistry between them was palpable, and I genuinely enjoyed every second of it! It was so fun to see them bicker and their verbal sparring... hilarious! The romance and steam generally build-up from all that.
It also helps that the secondary characters, especially Colby and Joanna's dad, were likable and fit well into the story. And though it was not perfect, I found it to be an enjoyable read! I'm looking forward to reading more books from the author, especially if all her heroes were just like Nick!
I adored Nick. And oh, did I mention I also love him? Seriously, his possessiveness and slightly domineering attitude know no bounds. And he's surprisingly sweet at times. And I loved how honest he was to Joanna about his intentions.
"I'm here because you're here. Why the hell should I be here for anything else? I'm chasing you; I'm pursuing you, driving myself mad!"
Aside from Nick, I also liked Joanna's character. She's a very relatable heroine. And I really like how she stood her ground and did her absolute best to resist Nick. But despite that, the chemistry between them was palpable, and I genuinely enjoyed every second of it! It was so fun to see them bicker and their verbal sparring... hilarious! The romance and steam generally build-up from all that.
It also helps that the secondary characters, especially Colby and Joanna's dad, were likable and fit well into the story. And though it was not perfect, I found it to be an enjoyable read! I'm looking forward to reading more books from the author, especially if all her heroes were just like Nick!
January 16, 2016
Talk about manipulative and I can easily picture Nick. We first see him at his niece's wedding which was held in Joanna's stepfather ancestral mansion. Joanna was the bridesmaid to a bride she has never met based on Nick's wishes. Unfortunately for Joanna, the bride was marrying the man Joanna loved who also happen to be her best friend. Did I forget to mention Nick offered the OM a new job and a lot more money and introduced him to his niece? You might think that is just coincident. Well, how about Nick's purchase of an old governor fortress in a Caribbean Island where he modernized and renovated it and at the same time befriended Joanna's reclusive author dad who lived on this small island year long. Another coincident? Maybe! Let's not forget the huge offer Joanna's business partner has received for the purchase of their boutique store.
We learn Nick has first noticed Joanna when she was 17 years old and he has orchestrated events and he even went a step further by getting rid of competition. The only problem was Nick didn't believe in marriage.. He wanted Joanna but only until he would get tired of her and this wasn't what Joanna wanted to hear.
We learn Nick has first noticed Joanna when she was 17 years old and he has orchestrated events and he even went a step further by getting rid of competition. The only problem was Nick didn't believe in marriage.. He wanted Joanna but only until he would get tired of her and this wasn't what Joanna wanted to hear.
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