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All Male
Kerry Pierson's former flatmate had her heart broken by the ruthless tycoon, Lee Hartford. So this Christmas Kerry has decided to teach Lee a lesson. She's going to make him fall in love with her, then end it all callously. Of course, she will have to sleep with him - but even revenge has its price.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1997
4 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Kay Thorpe
181 books65 followersKay Thorpe was born on 1935 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK. An avid reader from the time when words on paper began to make sense, she developed a lively imagination of her own, making up stories for the entertainment of her young friends. After leaving school, she tried a variety of jobs, including dental nursing, and a spell in the Women's Royal Airforce from which she emerged knowing a whole lot more about life - if only as an observer.
In 1960, she married with Tony, but didn't begin thinking about trying her hand at writing for a living until she gave up work some four years later to have a baby, John. Having read Mills & Boon novels herself, and done some market research in the local library asking readers what it was they particularly liked about the books, she decided to aim for a particular market, and was fortunate to have her very first, completed manuscript accepted - The Last of the Mallorys, published in 1968. Since then she has written over seventy five books, which doesn't begin to compare with the output of some Mills & Boon authors, but still leaves her wondering where all those words came from.
Sometimes, she finds she has become two different people: the writer at her happiest when involved in the world of books and authors; and the housewife, turning her hands to the everyday needs of husband and son. Once in a while, she finds it difficult to step from one role to the other. She likes cooking, for instance, but she finds that it can be an irritating interruption when she's preoccupied with work on a novel, so the quality of her efforts in the kitchen tend to be a little erratic. She says, "As my husband once remarked, my writing gives life a fascinating element of uncertainly: one day a perfect coq au vin, the next day a couple of burned chops!"
Luckily Kay has daily professional help with her housework, and that leaves her time to indulge in her hobbies. Like many other Mills & Boon authors, she admits to being a voracious consumer of books, a quality she shares with her readers. She likes music and horseback riding, which she does in the countryside near her home. But her favorite hobby is travel - especially to places that will make good settings for her books.
Kay now lives on the outskirts of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, along with husband, Tony, and a huge tabby cat called Mad Max, her one son having flown the coop. Some day she'll think about retiring, but not yet awhile.
In 1960, she married with Tony, but didn't begin thinking about trying her hand at writing for a living until she gave up work some four years later to have a baby, John. Having read Mills & Boon novels herself, and done some market research in the local library asking readers what it was they particularly liked about the books, she decided to aim for a particular market, and was fortunate to have her very first, completed manuscript accepted - The Last of the Mallorys, published in 1968. Since then she has written over seventy five books, which doesn't begin to compare with the output of some Mills & Boon authors, but still leaves her wondering where all those words came from.
Sometimes, she finds she has become two different people: the writer at her happiest when involved in the world of books and authors; and the housewife, turning her hands to the everyday needs of husband and son. Once in a while, she finds it difficult to step from one role to the other. She likes cooking, for instance, but she finds that it can be an irritating interruption when she's preoccupied with work on a novel, so the quality of her efforts in the kitchen tend to be a little erratic. She says, "As my husband once remarked, my writing gives life a fascinating element of uncertainly: one day a perfect coq au vin, the next day a couple of burned chops!"
Luckily Kay has daily professional help with her housework, and that leaves her time to indulge in her hobbies. Like many other Mills & Boon authors, she admits to being a voracious consumer of books, a quality she shares with her readers. She likes music and horseback riding, which she does in the countryside near her home. But her favorite hobby is travel - especially to places that will make good settings for her books.
Kay now lives on the outskirts of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, along with husband, Tony, and a huge tabby cat called Mad Max, her one son having flown the coop. Some day she'll think about retiring, but not yet awhile.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 20, 2019
Re All Male - Kay Thorpe does a standard HP day at the office with a secretary h who decides to lead the frequent lady buffet sampling H on and then dump him hard, as a blow for all of HP womankind.
The 24 yr old h meets the H when she is assigned as an amanuensis to the H's famous retired actress mother, who is writing her memoirs. The h is a pure and virtuous girl and doesn't approve of frequent and blatant lady buffet samplers, she is even more disapproving when aforesaid lady buffet samplers lead her ex roommate on and then dump them after the lurve club has been exercised.
So in spite of the H's mum's attempts at matchmaking, (which for once an h managed to foil the HP secondary character pimp out push NICELY and POLITELY, by refusing due to a previous engagement -- she was washing her toes,) the h is giving this H no quarter.
But when the H decides to pursue and the h's current roommate suggests she do a less lurve club swinging version of the pump and dump, the h declares it is Game ON. So we get flirty banter and the introduction of the Evil OW - a snot pustule who used to be the H's lover, until the OW decided that she wanted the H's BFF's English title.
Our beautiful OW snot snarfer married the H's BFF, but can't resist trying to re-ensnare the H in her wiles and she also started her own campaign of male eye candy sampling. The H's semi -indifference to the OW in a boudoir bouncing sense doesn't stop her from scheming either, she is soon making threats and catty remarks to the h.
(Who has succumbed the lurve force mojo and KT purple passion one time by now. We also learn the H is equally enthralled right back, because he gives the h a watch for Christmas, which is a traditional pre-engagement gift. Tho the h did not recognize this because she never reads Victorian romances and therefore let the H's faked emotional indifference and the OW's antics get to her. )
When the Evil OW finds that attacking the h doesn't run her off, she decides to use the tabloid press instead. Knowing that the H hates the gossip rags, cause he claims they frequently lie about his activities, the Evil OW plants a story ostensibly leaked by the h that claims she is preggers and expecting the H to marry her.
In a very sad New Year's Eve build up to the mopey moment, the h lets her temper get away from her over the H allowing the Evil OW to hang all over him like a cheap Christmas ornament. In her fierce verbal beratement of the H, the h mentions her previously abandoned pump and dump plans.
The H gets hisego feelings hurt and he dumps the h before she can dump him - but he makes sure that she knows if she abandons working with his mother he will ruin her career.
The h manages to get a good zinger in by asking him how it feels to only be wanted as a stud and that may explain the explosive rage of the H when OW's seekrit baby and marriage story finally breaks.
The H is apoplectic and shouting at the h, right in front of his mum, for trying to force him to marry by lying about having a baby. He does NOT want to listen when the h denies any culpability and suggests he ask his Evil OW Tart that he likes to keep dangling about the source of that gossip tidbit.
The H refuses to believe that any Tart he has hand selected to permanently tease and dangle would do such a thing and the h allows the H's mum to distract her from leaving. Then the h faints and realizes that the H's Manly Alpha HP Motilators did their mini H cloning job.
The H at first denies responsibility, but after he calms down and thinks about things, he realizes the dates of the h's bun rising fit their lurve club timing perfectly. So the H demands the h marry him and she refuses. The h is very clear that she will only be marrying for love and not expediency.
So the H has to admit he loves her, which the h is delighted to hear because she loves the H back. We also learn that the H did confirm that the gossip tidbits were planted by the OW and that the H dumped the OW, not that the OW dumped him.
The H also claims that the h's former roommate lied about being on the brink of marriage with the H when she was dumped. The H claims it was nothing more than fling and the h proves she has drank the KT HP Koolaid when she tells the H she believes him.
So we leave the happy twosome looking for a big house in the country and the H claiming if his mother doesn't move out and get on with her life he will evict her, for another mixed message KT HP HEA.
This one is very much KT HP trope light. The H is a womanizer and he does have double standards, but it was also clear that he was into the h. The h had a great backbone, until the inevitable HP Treacherous Body Syndrome Lighting Strike and overall you could do much worse for a standard day at the office HP outing.
The 24 yr old h meets the H when she is assigned as an amanuensis to the H's famous retired actress mother, who is writing her memoirs. The h is a pure and virtuous girl and doesn't approve of frequent and blatant lady buffet samplers, she is even more disapproving when aforesaid lady buffet samplers lead her ex roommate on and then dump them after the lurve club has been exercised.
So in spite of the H's mum's attempts at matchmaking, (which for once an h managed to foil the HP secondary character pimp out push NICELY and POLITELY, by refusing due to a previous engagement -- she was washing her toes,) the h is giving this H no quarter.
But when the H decides to pursue and the h's current roommate suggests she do a less lurve club swinging version of the pump and dump, the h declares it is Game ON. So we get flirty banter and the introduction of the Evil OW - a snot pustule who used to be the H's lover, until the OW decided that she wanted the H's BFF's English title.
Our beautiful OW snot snarfer married the H's BFF, but can't resist trying to re-ensnare the H in her wiles and she also started her own campaign of male eye candy sampling. The H's semi -indifference to the OW in a boudoir bouncing sense doesn't stop her from scheming either, she is soon making threats and catty remarks to the h.
(Who has succumbed the lurve force mojo and KT purple passion one time by now. We also learn the H is equally enthralled right back, because he gives the h a watch for Christmas, which is a traditional pre-engagement gift. Tho the h did not recognize this because she never reads Victorian romances and therefore let the H's faked emotional indifference and the OW's antics get to her. )
When the Evil OW finds that attacking the h doesn't run her off, she decides to use the tabloid press instead. Knowing that the H hates the gossip rags, cause he claims they frequently lie about his activities, the Evil OW plants a story ostensibly leaked by the h that claims she is preggers and expecting the H to marry her.
In a very sad New Year's Eve build up to the mopey moment, the h lets her temper get away from her over the H allowing the Evil OW to hang all over him like a cheap Christmas ornament. In her fierce verbal beratement of the H, the h mentions her previously abandoned pump and dump plans.
The H gets his
The h manages to get a good zinger in by asking him how it feels to only be wanted as a stud and that may explain the explosive rage of the H when OW's seekrit baby and marriage story finally breaks.
The H is apoplectic and shouting at the h, right in front of his mum, for trying to force him to marry by lying about having a baby. He does NOT want to listen when the h denies any culpability and suggests he ask his Evil OW Tart that he likes to keep dangling about the source of that gossip tidbit.
The H refuses to believe that any Tart he has hand selected to permanently tease and dangle would do such a thing and the h allows the H's mum to distract her from leaving. Then the h faints and realizes that the H's Manly Alpha HP Motilators did their mini H cloning job.
The H at first denies responsibility, but after he calms down and thinks about things, he realizes the dates of the h's bun rising fit their lurve club timing perfectly. So the H demands the h marry him and she refuses. The h is very clear that she will only be marrying for love and not expediency.
So the H has to admit he loves her, which the h is delighted to hear because she loves the H back. We also learn that the H did confirm that the gossip tidbits were planted by the OW and that the H dumped the OW, not that the OW dumped him.
The H also claims that the h's former roommate lied about being on the brink of marriage with the H when she was dumped. The H claims it was nothing more than fling and the h proves she has drank the KT HP Koolaid when she tells the H she believes him.
So we leave the happy twosome looking for a big house in the country and the H claiming if his mother doesn't move out and get on with her life he will evict her, for another mixed message KT HP HEA.
This one is very much KT HP trope light. The H is a womanizer and he does have double standards, but it was also clear that he was into the h. The h had a great backbone, until the inevitable HP Treacherous Body Syndrome Lighting Strike and overall you could do much worse for a standard day at the office HP outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2018
2.5 stars.
This was a lighter version of the usual Kay Thorpe type of storyline and there were even some elements that were reminiscent of Helen Bianchin's style. It's not as intense or angsty as the older novel by Kay Thorpe and the H Lee wasn't as mean as her conventional heroes either. Lee was friendly, a bit light hearted, intensely flirtatious and he didn't cheat on the heroine Kerry while they were together. However, like this doggy in the gif below, Lee did have a reputation as being a pussy magnet:
The blurb intrigued me because it's not often that I come across storylines where the heroine is the one seeking vengeance on the H. In this instance, Kerry is mad at Lee because her former roommate Sarah had claimed that the H had given her hints that he wanted to marry her and then he dumped her. The idiotic heroine wasn't even best pals with Sarah. They'd merely been roommates for a very short period of time. I couldn't understand why Kerry had this burning desire for vengeance under these circumstances. It wasn't as if they were still close friends and it was obvious that Sarah had embellished the story in order to alleviate her hurt pride as a woman scorned. Lee hadn't given Sarah any indication or mild hints that he was ever interested in marrying her.
The MC's met when Kerry got a job as a typist for his mother Estelle. That lady was a famous former actress who had decided to write her memoirs, so she hired Kerry to take dictation and do the typing. Kay Thorpe spent a lot of time giving details about the heroine's clothing, hair, makeup and the kinda stuff that one tends to find only mainly in Helen Bianchin's novels. Lee started flirting with, and chasing after, Kerry from the first time they met. The more she resisted, the more he pushed. Kerry only got the dumb revenge idea after her friend Sarah put it in her head. That just amazed me, to be honest. It's been more than a year since Sarah's been dumped by Lee and the woman is still acting like a lady scorned. Lee treated Kerry kindly, even though he kept trying to get into her pants. They ended up consummating their relationship when they were snowed in at his friends' Christmas party. There was also a malicious, evil ex OW called Renata. She was married to Lee's best friend, Phillip. Renata used to date Lee before he ended the relationship and afterwards, she turned her sights on Phillip because the latter was willing to offer a wedding ring.
Phillip was the epitome of the stupid cuckolded and henpecked husband. Lee was not involved with Renata because he respected his friendship with Phillip and because he didn't like the lady all that much. However, it was obvious that Renata was the type who would cheat on her husband if she found another man tempting. Renata created so much trouble for the MC's. When she noticed that Lee was very interested in Kerry, she tried to get him to sleep with her. When he declined her offer, she got vindictive and sent an article to the gossip columns stating that Kerry was pregnant with Lee's baby and that the MC's were to be married soon. The H behaved like a total jackass and blamed it all on Kerry. He accused her of trying to trap him by making up a fake pregnancy and didn't believe that Renata could be so evil. This happened at a critical time in the MC's relationship because Lee was already in love with Kerry and wanted to propose to her. The conflict caused by the article in the newspaper turned his loving intentions to suspicion and resentment.
Lee was clearly a besotted H from day 1. He even drove for hours to see Kerry at her parents' home just after Christmas. This was OK but not as good as I had expected it would be from the blurb. That's because the whole revenge trope seemed to have been executed, by the author, in a rather bland and uninspired manner. It almost made me long for her older angsty novels where the revenge trope would've been presented in a fascinating trainwrecky manner. But, on the positive side, this novel might be more appealing to readers who aren't looking for all that trainwrecky drama and just want to read a lighter version of revenge, with a H who's not that mean - at least until the end, when the newspaper article was published. And, what soured me a lot was the fact that the former OW Renata got absolutely no comeuppance for being so malicious. It would've been great if the author had written a line or 2 stating that Phillip had finally located his balls and dumped Renata.
This is the heroine, Kerry:
This is the H, Lee:
This was a lighter version of the usual Kay Thorpe type of storyline and there were even some elements that were reminiscent of Helen Bianchin's style. It's not as intense or angsty as the older novel by Kay Thorpe and the H Lee wasn't as mean as her conventional heroes either. Lee was friendly, a bit light hearted, intensely flirtatious and he didn't cheat on the heroine Kerry while they were together. However, like this doggy in the gif below, Lee did have a reputation as being a pussy magnet:
The blurb intrigued me because it's not often that I come across storylines where the heroine is the one seeking vengeance on the H. In this instance, Kerry is mad at Lee because her former roommate Sarah had claimed that the H had given her hints that he wanted to marry her and then he dumped her. The idiotic heroine wasn't even best pals with Sarah. They'd merely been roommates for a very short period of time. I couldn't understand why Kerry had this burning desire for vengeance under these circumstances. It wasn't as if they were still close friends and it was obvious that Sarah had embellished the story in order to alleviate her hurt pride as a woman scorned. Lee hadn't given Sarah any indication or mild hints that he was ever interested in marrying her.
The MC's met when Kerry got a job as a typist for his mother Estelle. That lady was a famous former actress who had decided to write her memoirs, so she hired Kerry to take dictation and do the typing. Kay Thorpe spent a lot of time giving details about the heroine's clothing, hair, makeup and the kinda stuff that one tends to find only mainly in Helen Bianchin's novels. Lee started flirting with, and chasing after, Kerry from the first time they met. The more she resisted, the more he pushed. Kerry only got the dumb revenge idea after her friend Sarah put it in her head. That just amazed me, to be honest. It's been more than a year since Sarah's been dumped by Lee and the woman is still acting like a lady scorned. Lee treated Kerry kindly, even though he kept trying to get into her pants. They ended up consummating their relationship when they were snowed in at his friends' Christmas party. There was also a malicious, evil ex OW called Renata. She was married to Lee's best friend, Phillip. Renata used to date Lee before he ended the relationship and afterwards, she turned her sights on Phillip because the latter was willing to offer a wedding ring.
Phillip was the epitome of the stupid cuckolded and henpecked husband. Lee was not involved with Renata because he respected his friendship with Phillip and because he didn't like the lady all that much. However, it was obvious that Renata was the type who would cheat on her husband if she found another man tempting. Renata created so much trouble for the MC's. When she noticed that Lee was very interested in Kerry, she tried to get him to sleep with her. When he declined her offer, she got vindictive and sent an article to the gossip columns stating that Kerry was pregnant with Lee's baby and that the MC's were to be married soon. The H behaved like a total jackass and blamed it all on Kerry. He accused her of trying to trap him by making up a fake pregnancy and didn't believe that Renata could be so evil. This happened at a critical time in the MC's relationship because Lee was already in love with Kerry and wanted to propose to her. The conflict caused by the article in the newspaper turned his loving intentions to suspicion and resentment.
Lee was clearly a besotted H from day 1. He even drove for hours to see Kerry at her parents' home just after Christmas. This was OK but not as good as I had expected it would be from the blurb. That's because the whole revenge trope seemed to have been executed, by the author, in a rather bland and uninspired manner. It almost made me long for her older angsty novels where the revenge trope would've been presented in a fascinating trainwrecky manner. But, on the positive side, this novel might be more appealing to readers who aren't looking for all that trainwrecky drama and just want to read a lighter version of revenge, with a H who's not that mean - at least until the end, when the newspaper article was published. And, what soured me a lot was the fact that the former OW Renata got absolutely no comeuppance for being so malicious. It would've been great if the author had written a line or 2 stating that Phillip had finally located his balls and dumped Renata.
This is the heroine, Kerry:
This is the H, Lee:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2022
What the heck was that? The plot didn’t turn all the way into “revenge for bad behavior” or “I work for your mother you playboy”. So without sticking with either the book fails. The last chapter the hero doubts the heroine and yells at her before swapping to “we shall be married in the morning!”…just lame.
May 1, 2019
A delightfully fun read.
All of my favorite HP tropes thrown into one, wonderful book.
There’s the sweet h who decided to get revenge for her almost friend whose heart was broken by the playboy H.
The über macho, oversexed, heartbreaking, playboy H.
The H’s lovely mother.
The H’s best friend in a marriage that will come to no good.
The OW, aka the best friend’s wife who is still lusting after the H in-spite of the fact that she’s married to his friend who is titled.
This cast of characters add up to a fun read with all the angst, anger, and drama of a classic HP.
All of my favorite HP tropes thrown into one, wonderful book.
There’s the sweet h who decided to get revenge for her almost friend whose heart was broken by the playboy H.
The über macho, oversexed, heartbreaking, playboy H.
The H’s lovely mother.
The H’s best friend in a marriage that will come to no good.
The OW, aka the best friend’s wife who is still lusting after the H in-spite of the fact that she’s married to his friend who is titled.
This cast of characters add up to a fun read with all the angst, anger, and drama of a classic HP.
January 25, 2021
Μου άρεσε παρά πολύ!!!! Αν και η Kay Thorpe δεν είναι από τις πολύ αγαπημένες μου συγγραφείς, εντούτοις, η ιστορία της αυτή, ήταν μια ιδιαίτερα ευχάριστη έκπληξη!!! ΥΠΕΡΟΧΟ!!!!
June 8, 2021
Revenge by seduction!
Businessman Lee Hartford. is a regular Midas: everything he touches turns to gold. His turnover in women is legendary, too!
Kerry Pierson knows just how devastating the Hartford charm can be. Her roommate had her heart trampled into the (lust by the restless tycoon. So Kerry decides to turn the tables on Lee Hartford.... She plans to seduce him into falling in love with her and then end it as callously as he has treated his women in the past. Only Kerry might just have a permanent reminder of her affair with Lee: a baby!
Businessman Lee Hartford. is a regular Midas: everything he touches turns to gold. His turnover in women is legendary, too!
Kerry Pierson knows just how devastating the Hartford charm can be. Her roommate had her heart trampled into the (lust by the restless tycoon. So Kerry decides to turn the tables on Lee Hartford.... She plans to seduce him into falling in love with her and then end it as callously as he has treated his women in the past. Only Kerry might just have a permanent reminder of her affair with Lee: a baby!
August 31, 2016
typical harlequin present story. Nothing new or interesting to read. I was bored half way of reading it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews