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Past All Reason
He had her where he wanted her...
Tricia remembered every glance, every kiss, the moment she fell in love--and the shattering heartbreak when he suddenly said goodbye.
Her looks and name were different now. She hadn't wanted him to recognize that his new temporary secretary was the woman he'd made passionate love to three years before.
But the disguise hadn't worked. Leigh did know. And he did remember. And he seemed determined to recapture the intensity of their earlier affair!
Tricia remembered every glance, every kiss, the moment she fell in love--and the shattering heartbreak when he suddenly said goodbye.
Her looks and name were different now. She hadn't wanted him to recognize that his new temporary secretary was the woman he'd made passionate love to three years before.
But the disguise hadn't worked. Leigh did know. And he did remember. And he seemed determined to recapture the intensity of their earlier affair!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 6, 1992
49 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 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 28, 2018
Re Past All Reason - Kay Thorpe brings us old skool boss/secretary with a twist. As with all KT, this one is non-pc and quite sexist, so keep that in mind if you pick it up.
The backstory on this one is that the H and h had a holiday cruise ship fling three years before the story starts. But the h pretended to be something she wasn't - a blonde, idle rich socialite- and so got her heart broken when the H dismissed her quite casually at the end of the cruise.
(The 22 yr old h had inherited some money and thought it would be a lark to live a different life, so she bleached her brunette tresses a high class shade of blonde and set off for adventure.) The story starts with the three years older h being sent in as a highly paid temporary secretary to the H.
She is very anti-men and she quit her last well paid job due to the married boss's overtures. With her temporary position now, she still makes really good money, (she also used her inheritance to get a mortgage,) but she doesn't have to stay long in any one slot and she doesn't have to put up with a lot of boss sexual harassment - the agency she works for is very much against it.
So the h goes to meet her new employer and her heart stops when it turns out to be the H. The h is of two minds whether to take the assignment or not, she still hasn't gotten over the last time when the H broke her heart and turned her against men forever. But when the H throws in a week at the Savoy to relieve her of a long commute and also doesn't appear to recognize her as his holiday fling from a few years before, the h reluctantly lets the H blackmail her into taking the job.
(He tells her he will get her blacklisted from the temp service she works for, so the h feels she has no choice but to stay - plus she is still under the spell of the H's mighty club of lurve.)
The job consists of several weeks of European travel to the H's family conglomerate's various headquarters. The tension between the H and h is palpable and frustrating, tho the h is quick to reassure us that she doesn't indulge in self gratification of the desire relieving sort - we are left to speculate about the H's feelings on the subject as KT has the h wondering what he is doing in the shower for so long.
The h also gets a up close and personal view of all the woman who fling themselves at the H over the course of the trip and her OTT jealousy is pretty amusing. On one hand she is determined to avoid anything personal with the H and on the other, her "keep off my man" vibes are quite entertaining.
Eventually the H figures out who she is from meeting her before and the H and h start up an affair again while we get a sightseeing tour of the European cities the H and h visit. We also get the impression that every single executive in the H's conglomerate is either on the make or having an affair with his secretary - the speculation that the h and H are getting it on is frequently remarked upon and obvious.
Things don't improve in the speculation department when the H forces the h to meet his managing tarty tramp mother. The H isn't too fond of his mother's gold digging ways that she divorced his father over, but when the mother claims the H is marrying her goddaughter to warn the h off, things get really interesting. The h has to pretend female problems to avoid sleeping with the H
and the H is upset when he thinks the h is making a play for one of his married Italian executives.
Then the big complications start, as KT books always have, when the maybe or maybe not engaged H's young former girlfriend claims she is having his baby and he has to marry her. Since the girl is the hand selected old family friend handmaiden the H's mother chose to be his wife, the H feels honor bound to marry her, tho he claims to be in love with the h.
Finally the h confesses that it was the H who made her so anti-men and that she is in love with him back. The H tries to pressure her to be his bit on the side, he offers her a permanent position as his secretary and his 'office wife' and the h is adamant that isn't happening - engaged men are one thing, but married men are quite another and this h has her standards.
Then the H's former girlfriend explains that the H's mother made her lie about the pregnancy to force the H to propose and marry her. (She feels guilty about lying after she finds a photo of the H and h on the first cruise in his wallet and the H's mother calls her about the h.) The H's father is relieved the H is rescued from his ex-wife's conniving, but he wants a grandson, so the H and h agree to marry and get busy on the baby making front for a regular KT HPlandia HEA.
This book was extremely tacky, but it was also extremely funny in a very black humor kinda way. If you can stomach the thought that pretty much every female character is a trampy gold digger tart or out for what she can get, there is a lot to find amusing in this one.
In spite of the h's gold digger tendencies and her lies, I liked her. She was blind with the lurve force mojo and stupid with it, so really it was fun to laugh at her. (I feel a little ashamed of myself, but KT had to be writing this farce very tongue in cheek.)
The H turns out to be remarkably Beta for KT and he will by no means be faithful. But the h gets to be his wife, which is what she wanted, so we call it being happy the h is happy and can call it a decent outing in annals of the HP voyages.
The backstory on this one is that the H and h had a holiday cruise ship fling three years before the story starts. But the h pretended to be something she wasn't - a blonde, idle rich socialite- and so got her heart broken when the H dismissed her quite casually at the end of the cruise.
(The 22 yr old h had inherited some money and thought it would be a lark to live a different life, so she bleached her brunette tresses a high class shade of blonde and set off for adventure.) The story starts with the three years older h being sent in as a highly paid temporary secretary to the H.
She is very anti-men and she quit her last well paid job due to the married boss's overtures. With her temporary position now, she still makes really good money, (she also used her inheritance to get a mortgage,) but she doesn't have to stay long in any one slot and she doesn't have to put up with a lot of boss sexual harassment - the agency she works for is very much against it.
So the h goes to meet her new employer and her heart stops when it turns out to be the H. The h is of two minds whether to take the assignment or not, she still hasn't gotten over the last time when the H broke her heart and turned her against men forever. But when the H throws in a week at the Savoy to relieve her of a long commute and also doesn't appear to recognize her as his holiday fling from a few years before, the h reluctantly lets the H blackmail her into taking the job.
(He tells her he will get her blacklisted from the temp service she works for, so the h feels she has no choice but to stay - plus she is still under the spell of the H's mighty club of lurve.)
The job consists of several weeks of European travel to the H's family conglomerate's various headquarters. The tension between the H and h is palpable and frustrating, tho the h is quick to reassure us that she doesn't indulge in self gratification of the desire relieving sort - we are left to speculate about the H's feelings on the subject as KT has the h wondering what he is doing in the shower for so long.
The h also gets a up close and personal view of all the woman who fling themselves at the H over the course of the trip and her OTT jealousy is pretty amusing. On one hand she is determined to avoid anything personal with the H and on the other, her "keep off my man" vibes are quite entertaining.
Eventually the H figures out who she is from meeting her before and the H and h start up an affair again while we get a sightseeing tour of the European cities the H and h visit. We also get the impression that every single executive in the H's conglomerate is either on the make or having an affair with his secretary - the speculation that the h and H are getting it on is frequently remarked upon and obvious.
Things don't improve in the speculation department when the H forces the h to meet his managing tarty tramp mother. The H isn't too fond of his mother's gold digging ways that she divorced his father over, but when the mother claims the H is marrying her goddaughter to warn the h off, things get really interesting. The h has to pretend female problems to avoid sleeping with the H
and the H is upset when he thinks the h is making a play for one of his married Italian executives.
Then the big complications start, as KT books always have, when the maybe or maybe not engaged H's young former girlfriend claims she is having his baby and he has to marry her. Since the girl is the hand selected old family friend handmaiden the H's mother chose to be his wife, the H feels honor bound to marry her, tho he claims to be in love with the h.
Finally the h confesses that it was the H who made her so anti-men and that she is in love with him back. The H tries to pressure her to be his bit on the side, he offers her a permanent position as his secretary and his 'office wife' and the h is adamant that isn't happening - engaged men are one thing, but married men are quite another and this h has her standards.
Then the H's former girlfriend explains that the H's mother made her lie about the pregnancy to force the H to propose and marry her. (She feels guilty about lying after she finds a photo of the H and h on the first cruise in his wallet and the H's mother calls her about the h.) The H's father is relieved the H is rescued from his ex-wife's conniving, but he wants a grandson, so the H and h agree to marry and get busy on the baby making front for a regular KT HPlandia HEA.
This book was extremely tacky, but it was also extremely funny in a very black humor kinda way. If you can stomach the thought that pretty much every female character is a trampy gold digger tart or out for what she can get, there is a lot to find amusing in this one.
In spite of the h's gold digger tendencies and her lies, I liked her. She was blind with the lurve force mojo and stupid with it, so really it was fun to laugh at her. (I feel a little ashamed of myself, but KT had to be writing this farce very tongue in cheek.)
The H turns out to be remarkably Beta for KT and he will by no means be faithful. But the h gets to be his wife, which is what she wanted, so we call it being happy the h is happy and can call it a decent outing in annals of the HP voyages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2018
The Problems- Way too much info that didn't move the romance forward was described in detail. The storytelling was boring. I dnf'd when the another travelogue was described. It bored me. Also boring, the romance. Felt no chemistry. Finally, the hero & heroine annoyed me. The heroine with her constant judging of the hero and the hero for his lack of ruthless wanting of the heroine. Romance Fail
March 27, 2024
Well you know, it's a KT so. Tricia is temping and gets an assignment with a man, Leigh, with whom she had a blazing affair on a 3 week cruise 3 years earlier when she had dyed blonde hair and was calling herself Emma for lolz. It was indeed that daft. She'd felt he just regarded it as a holiday fling although she ofc totally fell for him and hasn't had sex since 🙄. He, otoh, has been bedding em like a good 'un, including a young god daughter of his mothers, recently enough to have been caught up in an early pregnancy possibility towards the latter part of the book. You may wish to liberally apply disinfectant at this point.They embark on a business tour (and travelogue) of several European cities with nary a condom in sight as they rekindle the flame. It was a bit stomach turning in some respects. Fidelity not guaranteed, I'd guess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2015
Every once in awhile you just have to read a super sexist, campy, ridiculous old Harlequin. Three years ago Tricia had pretended to be Emma while on a ritzy cruise. She'd fallen for rich kid Leigh but he cooled things off the week before the cruise ended and she took that as her marching papers. Since then SHE. TRUSTS. NO. MAN. EVER. She's a super talented secretary who dresses professionally and gives a hands off vibe. When she finds herself working for Leigh she decides she's delighted he doesn't recognize her. When he does, the affair starts back up after a minor protest on her part. But he's engaged to his mother's friends daughter! No wait, he's not engaged but the family wants him to be but he only wants Tricia - no wait, the other girl is pregnant! And so on till the end.
It was surprising to see feminist trashed in the first few pages since it was published in the 90s but the book had a very 60s feel. I found the whole thing funny but others might not be quite so tolerant.
It was surprising to see feminist trashed in the first few pages since it was published in the 90s but the book had a very 60s feel. I found the whole thing funny but others might not be quite so tolerant.
February 5, 2017
Tricia Barton is working as a traveling temp agent. Finding herself working for the man that broke her heart three years before is bad. Of course, he did not know that Tricia was Emma during their summer cruise romance. Tricia is also no longer wearing blonde and carefree.
Leigh Smith never forgot Emma. Finding out that straight laced Tricia is the girl he romanced all those years before is remarkable. Trying to win her back is going to take a lot of effort, and perhaps love found too late. Already committed to his mother's god daughter, Leigh now must chose between his love, and his commitments.
Leigh Smith never forgot Emma. Finding out that straight laced Tricia is the girl he romanced all those years before is remarkable. Trying to win her back is going to take a lot of effort, and perhaps love found too late. Already committed to his mother's god daughter, Leigh now must chose between his love, and his commitments.
May 18, 2020
He had her where he wanted her...
Tricia remembered every glance, every kiss, the moment she fell in love--and the shattering heartbreak when he suddenly said goodbye.
Her looks and name were different now. She hadn't wanted him to recognize that his new temporary secretary was the woman he'd made passionate love to three years before.
But the disguise hadn't work know. And he did remember. And he seemed determined to recapture the intensity of their earlier affair! (
Tricia remembered every glance, every kiss, the moment she fell in love--and the shattering heartbreak when he suddenly said goodbye.
Her looks and name were different now. She hadn't wanted him to recognize that his new temporary secretary was the woman he'd made passionate love to three years before.
But the disguise hadn't work know. And he did remember. And he seemed determined to recapture the intensity of their earlier affair! (
April 12, 2023
Not good, I didn't like characters or plot although writing is decent enough to finish albeit by hopping around.
Lots of HPs have immoral or amoral situations or characters and lots feature deeply cynical plots and situations and stories. Past All Reason is so devoid of warmth that it left me cold. Our h is in love but claims to H's face that she does not like or love him, that sleeping with him is for physical reasons only, and the H mostly does the same thing. H does toss in a casual comment about marrying the h, but that's just before sharing the telegram from the lady he's been seeing recently (very very recently) announcing she is pregnant.
H seems resigned to marry the OW, after all he does care for her, but he's not enthusiastic nor even particularly willing. He'll do it because he can't expect her to have the kid on her own and doesn't like abortion. Such a guy!
I recall a coworker sharing his dad's wise advice: Never sleep with someone you aren't willing to marry. Hmm.
Lots of HPs have immoral or amoral situations or characters and lots feature deeply cynical plots and situations and stories. Past All Reason is so devoid of warmth that it left me cold. Our h is in love but claims to H's face that she does not like or love him, that sleeping with him is for physical reasons only, and the H mostly does the same thing. H does toss in a casual comment about marrying the h, but that's just before sharing the telegram from the lady he's been seeing recently (very very recently) announcing she is pregnant.
H seems resigned to marry the OW, after all he does care for her, but he's not enthusiastic nor even particularly willing. He'll do it because he can't expect her to have the kid on her own and doesn't like abortion. Such a guy!
I recall a coworker sharing his dad's wise advice: Never sleep with someone you aren't willing to marry. Hmm.
August 27, 2025
Manufactured conflict.
H/h met and had an affair on a cruise ship. Each thought the other only wanted a fling and didn't stay in touch. Heroine shows up as hero's temporary secretary and the two of them embark on a business trip through the capitals of Europe. Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy. Every city was a new date/hero begging for sex/business meetings. In other words, a snoozefest.
There's a last minute pregnancy scare with an OW that the hero feels he must marry.
So boring and tacky.
H/h met and had an affair on a cruise ship. Each thought the other only wanted a fling and didn't stay in touch. Heroine shows up as hero's temporary secretary and the two of them embark on a business trip through the capitals of Europe. Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy. Every city was a new date/hero begging for sex/business meetings. In other words, a snoozefest.
There's a last minute pregnancy scare with an OW that the hero feels he must marry.
So boring and tacky.
November 10, 2018
This was just ok. I just dud not like the Hero.And did not grovel and needed to because he was such an A....
May 21, 2024
Kay Thorpe's Heros are generally a*****es, but this guy was on another scale. Yuck.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews