What do you think?
Rate this book
Body and Soul
He wanted all of her!
Bruno Falcucci was nothing less than a nasty piece of work. Not only had he maneuvered himself into a position of power at the bank where Martine worked, but now he had set his eyes on conquering her, as well. But no matter how attractive Bruno was, there was no way that Martine was going to let him, with his big, black, Italian, come-to-bed eyes, get the better of her!
Bruno Falcucci was nothing less than a nasty piece of work. Not only had he maneuvered himself into a position of power at the bank where Martine worked, but now he had set his eyes on conquering her, as well. But no matter how attractive Bruno was, there was no way that Martine was going to let him, with his big, black, Italian, come-to-bed eyes, get the better of her!
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
14 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Lamb
261 books314 followersSheila Ann Mary Coates Holland
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 8, 2018
Re Body and Soul - Charlotte Lamb gives her insanely jealous typical H a new little twist in this when she pairs her Uber Alpha H with an h who is as competent and driven as he is.
Welcome to the 1990's in the CL province of HPlandia. No longer does CL just focus on ethereal, dreamy unicorn grooming ladies who don't seem to be on the same plane of existence as the rest of us.
In this one the h is a full fledged assistant to a big time merchant bank chairman. She is quite competent and has had a few rounds in the wars of romance, so she lost her grooming license and isn't really looking for another match.
The book starts with the h rushing to meet her dear friend, who is also her boss, at his favorite restaurant. The poor man is looking more haggard every day, especially since his lovely young wife died in a car accident where he was driving two years earlier. The h suspects he carries a lot of guilt over the accident and we soon see, that proves to be the case.
The restaurant has a revolving door and the h manages to get stuck with a very tall, dark and handsome stranger in the midst of it. With a great deal of snarling and snapping, the two of them manage to get themselves unstuck and retreat to separate corners of the bar.
When her boss arrives, he tells the h that he has invited his cousin over to learn the ropes of the bank. The h's boss feels that his cousin's side of the family was unfairly cut out of inheriting part of the bank because his grandfather did not like whom the cousin's mother chose for a husband.
The h's boss has a mind to fix that situation. His aunt has now sadly passed on, but the cousin is a noteworthy banker himself and the h's boss feels sure that he will be an asset to the bank. The h is more concerned, especially when the long estranged cousin turns out to be the snarly man that got stuck in the door with her.
The h's boss is insistent tho, so the H takes his place at the bank and the h is very hostile to the man, she thinks he is planning on usurping her boss's place as chairman. Not that the man is much nicer to the h, he seems to think that the h is trying to use her wiles to con her boss into marriage and a more lucrative lifestyle option.
The h makes a few attempts to defend herself, but the H is so domineeringly sure that he is right and so insulting to the h, that she soon decides to let the H think whatever he wants. Then they have to go to a conference in Rome together because the h's boss is too ill to make it.
Things explode between them physically in Rome and they have a one night full fledged Lurve Force Mojo explosion. The next morning, the h wakes up alone with only a terse little note from the H and this hurts her feelings and makes her feel cheap and ashamed.
When the H is still cold and distant over breakfast, the war is on and this h is taking no prisoners. What follows is a cold war between the H and h, it only gets worse when the h finds out she is preggers from her one night of passion.
Sadly the h's boss is looking worse and worse everyday and we find out that he has a brain tumor and he isn't sure how much longer he has to live, which is why he wanted the H in the bank to take over when he was gone.
The h is horrified. She really likes her boss, he is like an older brother to her and she demands that he do his best to focus on finding a reason to live instead of inviting death in. The h insists that her boss also get some counseling and since he figured out that she was preggers with his cousin's baby, the h also has to turn down his very sweet marriage proposal.
The h gently refuses, but does do a lot of traveling to Germany and Vienna with her boss in an effort to encourage him to start living again. The boss takes a keen interest in the baby as well, he and his wife only had two years together, so they weren't quite at the children stage when she died.
The H makes random appearances throughout this time and he is clearly driven by the demons of jealously and rage. The gossip among the bank's staff is that the h and her boss are heavily involved. The H shows up at the h's house when she is very ill with the flu as well, he cared for her in her sickness and then starts throwing around tarty gold digger accusations as soon as she is better.
The h is miserable and wants to hit back at the H, so she refuses outright to tell him he is the father. The h's boss is against that decision, but he is also fighting for his own health and besides, he likes the idear of a baby and he thinks maybe he can get the h to change his mind about marrying him.
She doesn't change her mind, but her boss is all about the baby anyway and the H is getting more and more accusatory. The h has decided to do the baby thing alone, her parents are very conservative farmers and her father would disown her if he knew about her situation.
(Realistically, the h briefly considers termination at one point, but ultimately decides that since she is capable of earning good wages, she can handle single motherhood herself.)
Then there is a wreck on the underground and the h goes into premature labor. The h's boss shows up to be her labor coach and the H soon follows right behind. The H explodes in the h's labor room and he is very ranty until the h's boss remarks that he has asked the h to marry him several times and she keeps refusing. He also explains that he is not the father and the H finally figures out that he is going to be a daddy.
He starts ranting about that and the h's boss tells him to hold the h's hand, she is in transition labor and they can fight things out at a less dramatic time. The H tells the h he loves her and she confesses that she loves him back. They both had too much pride to talk to each other and decided to try and irk each other to death instead.
By this time the h is ready to deliver and she has a little girl. The H is determined that they will marry, he is still wildly jealous of the h's boss and his cousin, he even hit the poor man when he found him with the h earlier.
The h explains about the tumor situation and tells the H he is just going to have to get over it, cause the thought of the baby has kept his cousin going and now he is in recovery. The H makes no promises, but the h is holding him on a pretty tight leash and the H is too entranced with his little lactation fetish to make too many angry lion protecting his mate noises.
The ward sister has finally had enough of the H's suspiciously inappropriate behavior, so as she is kicking the H out of the h's room, the H is telling the h to get well enough to get out of there soon. The two of them and the baby have a lot of time to make up for the big, slightly naughty HPlandia HEA.
This one was pretty good and CL does the best intensely passionate angry H and h scenes in all of HPlandia. You could literally feel the frustration and hurt vibrating off the page, yet this book is a really fast read. The h's boss and his struggle was very well done too and I had a little tear in my heart as the boss was explaining his tumor situation.
This one is definitely worth the time it takes to read it and delivers a really satisfying HP outing experience, so grab it if you find it and prepare yourself for a very intense CL trip to HPlandia as only she can write it.
Welcome to the 1990's in the CL province of HPlandia. No longer does CL just focus on ethereal, dreamy unicorn grooming ladies who don't seem to be on the same plane of existence as the rest of us.
In this one the h is a full fledged assistant to a big time merchant bank chairman. She is quite competent and has had a few rounds in the wars of romance, so she lost her grooming license and isn't really looking for another match.
The book starts with the h rushing to meet her dear friend, who is also her boss, at his favorite restaurant. The poor man is looking more haggard every day, especially since his lovely young wife died in a car accident where he was driving two years earlier. The h suspects he carries a lot of guilt over the accident and we soon see, that proves to be the case.
The restaurant has a revolving door and the h manages to get stuck with a very tall, dark and handsome stranger in the midst of it. With a great deal of snarling and snapping, the two of them manage to get themselves unstuck and retreat to separate corners of the bar.
When her boss arrives, he tells the h that he has invited his cousin over to learn the ropes of the bank. The h's boss feels that his cousin's side of the family was unfairly cut out of inheriting part of the bank because his grandfather did not like whom the cousin's mother chose for a husband.
The h's boss has a mind to fix that situation. His aunt has now sadly passed on, but the cousin is a noteworthy banker himself and the h's boss feels sure that he will be an asset to the bank. The h is more concerned, especially when the long estranged cousin turns out to be the snarly man that got stuck in the door with her.
The h's boss is insistent tho, so the H takes his place at the bank and the h is very hostile to the man, she thinks he is planning on usurping her boss's place as chairman. Not that the man is much nicer to the h, he seems to think that the h is trying to use her wiles to con her boss into marriage and a more lucrative lifestyle option.
The h makes a few attempts to defend herself, but the H is so domineeringly sure that he is right and so insulting to the h, that she soon decides to let the H think whatever he wants. Then they have to go to a conference in Rome together because the h's boss is too ill to make it.
Things explode between them physically in Rome and they have a one night full fledged Lurve Force Mojo explosion. The next morning, the h wakes up alone with only a terse little note from the H and this hurts her feelings and makes her feel cheap and ashamed.
When the H is still cold and distant over breakfast, the war is on and this h is taking no prisoners. What follows is a cold war between the H and h, it only gets worse when the h finds out she is preggers from her one night of passion.
Sadly the h's boss is looking worse and worse everyday and we find out that he has a brain tumor and he isn't sure how much longer he has to live, which is why he wanted the H in the bank to take over when he was gone.
The h is horrified. She really likes her boss, he is like an older brother to her and she demands that he do his best to focus on finding a reason to live instead of inviting death in. The h insists that her boss also get some counseling and since he figured out that she was preggers with his cousin's baby, the h also has to turn down his very sweet marriage proposal.
The h gently refuses, but does do a lot of traveling to Germany and Vienna with her boss in an effort to encourage him to start living again. The boss takes a keen interest in the baby as well, he and his wife only had two years together, so they weren't quite at the children stage when she died.
The H makes random appearances throughout this time and he is clearly driven by the demons of jealously and rage. The gossip among the bank's staff is that the h and her boss are heavily involved. The H shows up at the h's house when she is very ill with the flu as well, he cared for her in her sickness and then starts throwing around tarty gold digger accusations as soon as she is better.
The h is miserable and wants to hit back at the H, so she refuses outright to tell him he is the father. The h's boss is against that decision, but he is also fighting for his own health and besides, he likes the idear of a baby and he thinks maybe he can get the h to change his mind about marrying him.
She doesn't change her mind, but her boss is all about the baby anyway and the H is getting more and more accusatory. The h has decided to do the baby thing alone, her parents are very conservative farmers and her father would disown her if he knew about her situation.
(Realistically, the h briefly considers termination at one point, but ultimately decides that since she is capable of earning good wages, she can handle single motherhood herself.)
Then there is a wreck on the underground and the h goes into premature labor. The h's boss shows up to be her labor coach and the H soon follows right behind. The H explodes in the h's labor room and he is very ranty until the h's boss remarks that he has asked the h to marry him several times and she keeps refusing. He also explains that he is not the father and the H finally figures out that he is going to be a daddy.
He starts ranting about that and the h's boss tells him to hold the h's hand, she is in transition labor and they can fight things out at a less dramatic time. The H tells the h he loves her and she confesses that she loves him back. They both had too much pride to talk to each other and decided to try and irk each other to death instead.
By this time the h is ready to deliver and she has a little girl. The H is determined that they will marry, he is still wildly jealous of the h's boss and his cousin, he even hit the poor man when he found him with the h earlier.
The h explains about the tumor situation and tells the H he is just going to have to get over it, cause the thought of the baby has kept his cousin going and now he is in recovery. The H makes no promises, but the h is holding him on a pretty tight leash and the H is too entranced with his little lactation fetish to make too many angry lion protecting his mate noises.
The ward sister has finally had enough of the H's suspiciously inappropriate behavior, so as she is kicking the H out of the h's room, the H is telling the h to get well enough to get out of there soon. The two of them and the baby have a lot of time to make up for the big, slightly naughty HPlandia HEA.
This one was pretty good and CL does the best intensely passionate angry H and h scenes in all of HPlandia. You could literally feel the frustration and hurt vibrating off the page, yet this book is a really fast read. The h's boss and his struggle was very well done too and I had a little tear in my heart as the boss was explaining his tumor situation.
This one is definitely worth the time it takes to read it and delivers a really satisfying HP outing experience, so grab it if you find it and prepare yourself for a very intense CL trip to HPlandia as only she can write it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2018
Two prickly porcupines get stuck in a revolving door. The attraction is mutual. But the hero PP is jealous of his milquetoast cousin (OM) who is the heroine PP's boss. The OM is middle-aged, sickly, and grieving his wife. He is no threat to hero PP, but PPs aren't known for their judgement.
Their guard hairs come down in Rome when the PPs have a ONS. The heroine PP ends up pregnant and the hero PP works along side her at the bank for 9 months without ever considering the little PP could be his.
*sigh*
When heroine PP goes into labor the OM and the hero are there. The heroine finally sorts out the misunderstandings and the newest PP is born. They will name her Roma after the city of her conception.
Who knew porcupines were sentimental *and* tacky?
Since the heroine's guard hairs are down for breastfeeding, the hero PP discovers a new fetish to keep things interesting in the months ahead. OM may or may not be cured of his brain tumor by talk therapy and having the will to live.
I enjoyed the H/h's interactions. This had way too much OM for my tastes, but this was not surprising in a vintage.
I do have to *climbs on soapbox* object to the heroine floating the idea that you can bootstrap your way to wellness by your attitude. Maybe, maybe not - but if I had a brain tumor with blinding headaches, etc . . . I doubt I'd have a positive attitude, either.
Let people feel how they feel. This idea you aren't supposed to be depressed by your illness - or that you somehow caused your own illness - needs to go. My grandfather had a great attitude about his cancer, my mother-in-law did not have a good attitude about hers. They handled their terminal illness like they handled their life. My grandfather saw the glass half-full; my mother in law half-empty. News flash - they both died - I loved them both and miss them both. They didn't have to prove anything to me or to their loved ones as they lay dying. *climbs down*
Boogenhagen and Naksed have more detailed reviews without editorials. Heroine was not a virgin. H/h were celibate after their ONS.
Their guard hairs come down in Rome when the PPs have a ONS. The heroine PP ends up pregnant and the hero PP works along side her at the bank for 9 months without ever considering the little PP could be his.
*sigh*
When heroine PP goes into labor the OM and the hero are there. The heroine finally sorts out the misunderstandings and the newest PP is born. They will name her Roma after the city of her conception.
Who knew porcupines were sentimental *and* tacky?
Since the heroine's guard hairs are down for breastfeeding, the hero PP discovers a new fetish to keep things interesting in the months ahead. OM may or may not be cured of his brain tumor by talk therapy and having the will to live.
I enjoyed the H/h's interactions. This had way too much OM for my tastes, but this was not surprising in a vintage.
I do have to *climbs on soapbox* object to the heroine floating the idea that you can bootstrap your way to wellness by your attitude. Maybe, maybe not - but if I had a brain tumor with blinding headaches, etc . . . I doubt I'd have a positive attitude, either.
Let people feel how they feel. This idea you aren't supposed to be depressed by your illness - or that you somehow caused your own illness - needs to go. My grandfather had a great attitude about his cancer, my mother-in-law did not have a good attitude about hers. They handled their terminal illness like they handled their life. My grandfather saw the glass half-full; my mother in law half-empty. News flash - they both died - I loved them both and miss them both. They didn't have to prove anything to me or to their loved ones as they lay dying. *climbs down*
Boogenhagen and Naksed have more detailed reviews without editorials. Heroine was not a virgin. H/h were celibate after their ONS.
April 3, 2024
Along with society, Harlequins change with the tines si with this 1994 effort from Charlotte Lamb, we get a much more modern heroine than the sheltered, nauve nymphettes of the past. The heroine in Body and Soul is a 27 year old, ambitious and smart career woman. For once, her professional position is not just a decoration in the background nor is it her consolation prize for not having a husband and children. The hero is a typical Harlequinny Alpha with good looks but a nasty temper, possessiveness and jealousy over the heroine.
The connection between them was both intense and lighthearted. The setting in Rome was almost a third character in their story. A good compelling story.
The connection between them was both intense and lighthearted. The setting in Rome was almost a third character in their story. A good compelling story.
January 18, 2021
Charlotte Lamb is one of the best HP writers ever. Vintage old school Harlequins are the best! There is angst, drama, crazy jealousy, a feisty heroine, a possessive hero, a very nice other man and a sweet HEA! Loved it! <3
January 17, 2021
4.5 stars
This was the first book I read by Charlotte Lamb, which turned me into an instant fan. There was so much to like including the writing style, sexual tension, angst, plot, and of course the leads, Bruno and Martine.
I love a smitten hero and Bruno clearly fit that description to a T! He wasn't nasty like the blurb claims, but was just very jealous of Martine's relationship with her boss. I found it really amusing how Martine tied Bruno into knots even without trying.
As much as I liked this I was disappointed by the minimal screen time Bruno had. He and Martine also didn't spend enough quality time together. The ending felt abrupt as well.
This was the first book I read by Charlotte Lamb, which turned me into an instant fan. There was so much to like including the writing style, sexual tension, angst, plot, and of course the leads, Bruno and Martine.
I love a smitten hero and Bruno clearly fit that description to a T! He wasn't nasty like the blurb claims, but was just very jealous of Martine's relationship with her boss. I found it really amusing how Martine tied Bruno into knots even without trying.
As much as I liked this I was disappointed by the minimal screen time Bruno had. He and Martine also didn't spend enough quality time together. The ending felt abrupt as well.
July 17, 2022
With the older (27) experienced career-woman h and a MIA hero, this was a firm 3-star for me until the last 15-20%. Then the Hero finally pulled his head out of his ass and showed some possessiveness. And naughty Ms. Lamb pulled out a tiny bit of lactation kink. 😈 *clutches pearls* 🤩
This one was a dark horse. 🤷🏼♀️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- no OW drama
- lots of OM drama - she kisses one OM, but doesn’t have feelings for him
- dubcon
- manhandling
- no virgins
- protection used but fails
- there is some PSA talk of abortion, but she doesn’t entertain that notion for long other than to acknowledge that it’s well within her rights
This one was a dark horse. 🤷🏼♀️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- no OW drama
- lots of OM drama - she kisses one OM, but doesn’t have feelings for him
- dubcon
- manhandling
- no virgins
- protection used but fails
- there is some PSA talk of abortion, but she doesn’t entertain that notion for long other than to acknowledge that it’s well within her rights
December 7, 2018
CL books are like Chinese tea to me. I take it between courses (read: other books) to cleanse my palate. And this one didn't disappoint - not that CL books ever do. Even the most OTT, fantastical plot lines penned by this author have the power to impress me and draw me in. So Body and Soul was just another great read in my long list of favourites from Ms. Lamb's work.
I'd recently commented on a friend's review on how I stay away from office romances, but I have to say this is one office romance that I actually liked. A lot. Set in the banking world, the plot features one of the most pragmatic h's I've come across. Martine was a loyal PA to her boss and extremely efficient when it came to her work. I would have hired her if I could. Or if she was real. :P No-nonsense, non-virgin, unashamed of her sexuality; this was one h I actually admired.
H Bruno was a typical CL hero; all possessive and non communicative; passionate and extremely prone to creating drama and angst. He was crazy about the h and proved it to her in every way except by verbal expression. In fact, the main issue between the protagonists was the lack of communication and their larger than life egos. They could have come together a lot earlier if they hadn't been so stubborn about owning up to their feelings. But I'm kind of glad they didn't - I would have missed out on all the delicious angst then.
Also, the steam factor in this book was unusually high for a CL. Including in the final grovel scene. And I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I didn't mind it at all. :)
Four solid stars for this one.
I'd recently commented on a friend's review on how I stay away from office romances, but I have to say this is one office romance that I actually liked. A lot. Set in the banking world, the plot features one of the most pragmatic h's I've come across. Martine was a loyal PA to her boss and extremely efficient when it came to her work. I would have hired her if I could. Or if she was real. :P No-nonsense, non-virgin, unashamed of her sexuality; this was one h I actually admired.
H Bruno was a typical CL hero; all possessive and non communicative; passionate and extremely prone to creating drama and angst. He was crazy about the h and proved it to her in every way except by verbal expression. In fact, the main issue between the protagonists was the lack of communication and their larger than life egos. They could have come together a lot earlier if they hadn't been so stubborn about owning up to their feelings. But I'm kind of glad they didn't - I would have missed out on all the delicious angst then.
Also, the steam factor in this book was unusually high for a CL. Including in the final grovel scene. And I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I didn't mind it at all. :)
Four solid stars for this one.
December 17, 2018
But for that simply incendiary chemistry (and beginning), this office romance has nothing fresh to offer.
In fact, there's no office romance.
Whatever 'romance' happened, happened outside the office and then we just have a drag it out non-mu and a whopping non-communication or rather a complete lack of h/H interface for much of the book. The h spends an annoying amount of quantity and quality time with the om.
And to be brutally honest, there's no love as well.
An amazingly hot, sizzling, simmering, steaming animal attraction, definitely yes!
At least did not feel the love from the H. (So cropping 1 star.)
Hate, yes. Obsession, yes. Passion, yes. Connection, yes. But love? Ummm no.
But still a highly readable un-missable CL.
And that last scene? HP meets Erotica!. *swoons*
In fact, there's no office romance.
Whatever 'romance' happened, happened outside the office and then we just have a drag it out non-mu and a whopping non-communication or rather a complete lack of h/H interface for much of the book. The h spends an annoying amount of quantity and quality time with the om.
And to be brutally honest, there's no love as well.
An amazingly hot, sizzling, simmering, steaming animal attraction, definitely yes!
At least did not feel the love from the H. (So cropping 1 star.)
Hate, yes. Obsession, yes. Passion, yes. Connection, yes. But love? Ummm no.
But still a highly readable un-missable CL.
And that last scene? HP meets Erotica!. *swoons*
October 7, 2021
Well, that was unexpected. I don't know if I will ever recover from those last pages...
Really, most of the time when I read a book I know what to expect, more or less.
I've read almost every kind of book, especially romance, from fantasy to hystorical, from clean to erotica, some BDSM and also some mafia/ dysfunctional books.
So I'm not easily impressed.
Present books have really all sort of "perversion" you can imagine (or desire), from incest to gang-bangs to an entire range of perversions.
Now it's all the rage the BDSM style after the great success of 50 shades (one of the few books I couldn't finish, not because of its content but because it was a very poorly written book and for what it's worth it could have been half its lenght and still be too long... IMMO of course).
I read some of them because I'm a therapist and I like to know how many different kind of people there are in the world, and I must confess I don't really appreciate perversion in itself, or deviant behaviours, so after a couple of attempts I gave up those books.
They are too explicit and I find more intriguing when things are unexpectedly and more covertly said.
Romantic books from 80s and 90s very often have this kind of kinky stuff, the one you don't expect and for this reason it is really shocking.
In those years sexual liberation was a fait accoplit but many of the prejudices and mental blocks of the previous decades were still strongly embedded in most of the common people and in most writers born before the liberation.
So they can convey such powerful and strong moments of forbidden scenes that even we, people of this uninhibited century, remain speachless.
Here we have a good story of an obsessed hero and a heroine who is afraid of the powerful attraction she feels for the hero.
He really hunts her and they have a moment of really hot sex, one of the hottest I've ever read, even if it's not so descriptive, with her trying to bodily push him out of her room and he grabbing her, complete with dress tearing and wrestling to the ground, it was more fight than sweetness, but my, very sexy and very very compelling.
Their relationship is all like this, hot, passionate, hurtful, all because both of them are too involved to be sensible and they are not really able to communicate efficiently their emotions and feelings.
So he thinks she has an affairs with her boss, his cousin, who is the owner of the bank where they are working, and she thinks he only wants an affair with her.
I liked very much the relationship between her and her boss, a widower who is also sick and unable to appreciate life since his wife's death.
He and the heroine will really help each other to heal their wounded souls. This was a real friendship, without any other hidden meaning, for both of them.
The hero, even if sometimes he's a jerk and slut-shames her thinking she's a gold digger, will never stop caring for her and eventually he will be at her side, when she gives birth to their child, a child he thought was his cousin's (the infinite dumbness of the man...)
Aaaaand then there's the kinky part, who really left me speechless.
When eventually H/h have been able to talk and communicate and they have declared their mutual and endless love, the hero and the heroine have a very hot and lusty moment at the hospital, with her breast-feeding their daughter and the hero who had a hard-on watching her and... and...
This is not the end of it, and I warmly invite you to read one of the most shocking and unlikely moment you have ever read about.
I only want to say I enjoyed it, sick perv that I am.
Really, most of the time when I read a book I know what to expect, more or less.
I've read almost every kind of book, especially romance, from fantasy to hystorical, from clean to erotica, some BDSM and also some mafia/ dysfunctional books.
So I'm not easily impressed.
Present books have really all sort of "perversion" you can imagine (or desire), from incest to gang-bangs to an entire range of perversions.
Now it's all the rage the BDSM style after the great success of 50 shades (one of the few books I couldn't finish, not because of its content but because it was a very poorly written book and for what it's worth it could have been half its lenght and still be too long... IMMO of course).
I read some of them because I'm a therapist and I like to know how many different kind of people there are in the world, and I must confess I don't really appreciate perversion in itself, or deviant behaviours, so after a couple of attempts I gave up those books.
They are too explicit and I find more intriguing when things are unexpectedly and more covertly said.
Romantic books from 80s and 90s very often have this kind of kinky stuff, the one you don't expect and for this reason it is really shocking.
In those years sexual liberation was a fait accoplit but many of the prejudices and mental blocks of the previous decades were still strongly embedded in most of the common people and in most writers born before the liberation.
So they can convey such powerful and strong moments of forbidden scenes that even we, people of this uninhibited century, remain speachless.
Here we have a good story of an obsessed hero and a heroine who is afraid of the powerful attraction she feels for the hero.
He really hunts her and they have a moment of really hot sex, one of the hottest I've ever read, even if it's not so descriptive, with her trying to bodily push him out of her room and he grabbing her, complete with dress tearing and wrestling to the ground, it was more fight than sweetness, but my, very sexy and very very compelling.
Their relationship is all like this, hot, passionate, hurtful, all because both of them are too involved to be sensible and they are not really able to communicate efficiently their emotions and feelings.
So he thinks she has an affairs with her boss, his cousin, who is the owner of the bank where they are working, and she thinks he only wants an affair with her.
I liked very much the relationship between her and her boss, a widower who is also sick and unable to appreciate life since his wife's death.
He and the heroine will really help each other to heal their wounded souls. This was a real friendship, without any other hidden meaning, for both of them.
The hero, even if sometimes he's a jerk and slut-shames her thinking she's a gold digger, will never stop caring for her and eventually he will be at her side, when she gives birth to their child, a child he thought was his cousin's (the infinite dumbness of the man...)
Aaaaand then there's the kinky part, who really left me speechless.
When eventually H/h have been able to talk and communicate and they have declared their mutual and endless love, the hero and the heroine have a very hot and lusty moment at the hospital, with her breast-feeding their daughter and the hero who had a hard-on watching her and... and...
This is not the end of it, and I warmly invite you to read one of the most shocking and unlikely moment you have ever read about.
I only want to say I enjoyed it, sick perv that I am.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2017
"Body and Soul" is the story of Bruno and Martine.
Martine works for Charlie and the bank as a self sufficient secretary, until the arrival of Bruno, Charlie's cousin causes an upheaval in her life.
Rarely in CL romances do we see an experienced, self sufficient working heroine who stands her ground- Martine was she! She even understood and felt arousal (not just hot and bothered) and even though there's the usual obsessed hero- OM- crazy jealousy- drama- there was also angst and love (if i can call it that) between the leads.
An one night stand with consequences- I give it one extra star for the shock of the lactation fetish at the end.
Safe
3.5/5
Martine works for Charlie and the bank as a self sufficient secretary, until the arrival of Bruno, Charlie's cousin causes an upheaval in her life.
Rarely in CL romances do we see an experienced, self sufficient working heroine who stands her ground- Martine was she! She even understood and felt arousal (not just hot and bothered) and even though there's the usual obsessed hero- OM- crazy jealousy- drama- there was also angst and love (if i can call it that) between the leads.
An one night stand with consequences- I give it one extra star for the shock of the lactation fetish at the end.
Safe
3.5/5
August 31, 2022
Deliciously angsty with flu & sponge job scene! Pure vintage. 😎
August 10, 2020
I'm going with it's just okay. On the positive side, the heroine was unique and defied all the rules in an 80's HP. It was definitely well written. No dangling participles here. But of course, it is Charlotte Lamb.
Now for the negatives. I didn't care for the characters. They were one hot mess. There also wasn't much character development or intrigue which is actually unusual for CL. Each character was just overly manipulated to suit a plot point. So there were times I found myself annoyed and shaking my head. I also never felt "the love" between H/h. This was just a ONS that never developed into more.
Now for the negatives. I didn't care for the characters. They were one hot mess. There also wasn't much character development or intrigue which is actually unusual for CL. Each character was just overly manipulated to suit a plot point. So there were times I found myself annoyed and shaking my head. I also never felt "the love" between H/h. This was just a ONS that never developed into more.
July 30, 2018
Aww... I felt bad for Bruno. Martine was a little too harsh to him. I hate it when woman do such things like not telling about their pregnancy to the person who did it to them. She should have at least told him. The problems would have solved only if they would have TALKED.
Bruno was a total jackass at times, and even slightly annoying & childish too, but he was also innocent. And there were times he made me laugh with his sarcastic tone.
In the end, it was a Good romance. But I was just wondering what would have happened if Bruno would have stopped bothering Martine after she constantly tells him to leave her alone. 🤔
July 19, 2022
2.5-3 stars
Not my favourite, sadly.
Not enough interactions between Bruno and Martine, our MCs.
Too many deliberate misunderstandings and manipulations between them.
I didn't like the fact that the heroine chose not to tell the hero about the baby and let him think someone else was the father.
The ending was way too abrupt, plus no epilogue, so that was a bummer.
But Bruno was delicious.
However, I was waiting for at least one honest conversation between him and Martine.
Sadly, I got none until the very end, and it still wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.
But maybe that's just me being me.
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. either.
Not my favourite, sadly.
Not enough interactions between Bruno and Martine, our MCs.
Too many deliberate misunderstandings and manipulations between them.
I didn't like the fact that the heroine chose not to tell the hero about the baby and let him think someone else was the father.
The ending was way too abrupt, plus no epilogue, so that was a bummer.
But Bruno was delicious.
However, I was waiting for at least one honest conversation between him and Martine.
Sadly, I got none until the very end, and it still wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.
But maybe that's just me being me.
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. either.
July 26, 2022
"If you don't want this, say so now, while I can still stop." It used to be a big thing, when I was a girl, that point at which it was no longer reasonable to ask/expect a man to stop. I get the impression that that has changed now (which is a good thing). Anyway, that's the H talking as they both succumb to their overwhelming sexual attraction on the floor of her hotel room. A lot of passion in this, some good dialogue and a sprinkling of tourism (Rome, Vienna), not quite enough time together and a fair bit of side story with OM (albeit a good storyline). CL is such an intelligent writer. I enjoyed this and would reread.
June 9, 2021
He Wanted All Of Her!
Bruno Falcucci was nothing less than a nasty piece of work. Not only had he maneuvered himself into a position of power at the bank where Martine worked, but now he had set his eyes on conquering her, as well. But no matter how attractive Bruno was, there was no way that Martine was going to let him, with his big, black, Italian, come-to-bed eyes, get the better of her!
Bruno Falcucci was nothing less than a nasty piece of work. Not only had he maneuvered himself into a position of power at the bank where Martine worked, but now he had set his eyes on conquering her, as well. But no matter how attractive Bruno was, there was no way that Martine was going to let him, with his big, black, Italian, come-to-bed eyes, get the better of her!
December 15, 2022
The H and the h work at the same office. She gets pregnant by the H, but she never tells the H that the baby is his.
She keeps slapping him in the face with her close relationship with the OM. She spends weekends abroad with the OM.
Although the relationship between the h and the OM is platonic (yeah, whatever 🙄), the H doesn’t know that. She involves the OM in things that has to do with her pregnancy, but never the H.
Maybe I would have understood her not telling the H that he is the father if he had treated her bad. But that wasn’t the case. Poor guy. There should have been a sequel in which this nice H gets a better woman than this h.
Last but not least: the breastfeeding scene in the end is very erotic. Very sensual, very hot.
She keeps slapping him in the face with her close relationship with the OM. She spends weekends abroad with the OM.
Although the relationship between the h and the OM is platonic (yeah, whatever 🙄), the H doesn’t know that. She involves the OM in things that has to do with her pregnancy, but never the H.
Maybe I would have understood her not telling the H that he is the father if he had treated her bad. But that wasn’t the case. Poor guy. There should have been a sequel in which this nice H gets a better woman than this h.
Last but not least: the breastfeeding scene in the end is very erotic. Very sensual, very hot.
November 13, 2012
Charlotte Lamb has the weirdest endings to her novels and it drives me bonkers but I did like this novel a lot. I thought the heroine was a brave woman and the hero annoyed me to no end. He was all macho, arrogant and possessive.
August 1, 2022
cw: pregnancy and child birth, grief, mention of loss of wife, side character with tumor
I adored this jealous hero quite a lot. And more so because he was heavy on his pursuit. In this one, the heroine is not interested in romance. She was burned once before and she doesn’t care to repeat it again. She meets the hero and they both get off on the wrong foot, or revolving door, I should say. He’s the cousin of her grieving widower boss whom she is great friends with. The boss hires the hero to take over and so they are forced to work together. Their relationship was just amazing. I lived for their banter, and I loved how the hero was plenty jealous over the heroine’s relationship with her former boss. I also appreciated how modern and well aged this book was. The heroine was a successful woman and experienced in her sexuality. There was casual brought up of non-straight men in a discussion, and since the heroine ended up pregnant, abortion was casually considered. Although now that I mention it, I’m a little sad of how a book published in 1995 is doing better than some of the romances today in regards to abortion. But that’s a discussion for another day. Oh, and nothing could’ve prepared me for the lactation kink.
I adored this jealous hero quite a lot. And more so because he was heavy on his pursuit. In this one, the heroine is not interested in romance. She was burned once before and she doesn’t care to repeat it again. She meets the hero and they both get off on the wrong foot, or revolving door, I should say. He’s the cousin of her grieving widower boss whom she is great friends with. The boss hires the hero to take over and so they are forced to work together. Their relationship was just amazing. I lived for their banter, and I loved how the hero was plenty jealous over the heroine’s relationship with her former boss. I also appreciated how modern and well aged this book was. The heroine was a successful woman and experienced in her sexuality. There was casual brought up of non-straight men in a discussion, and since the heroine ended up pregnant, abortion was casually considered. Although now that I mention it, I’m a little sad of how a book published in 1995 is doing better than some of the romances today in regards to abortion. But that’s a discussion for another day. Oh, and nothing could’ve prepared me for the lactation kink.
October 16, 2011
Probably more like 3.5*, probably would have been 4* but I didn't really like the H. Actually both the H/h were incredibly silly regarding their misunderstandings, but I guess there has to be a reason to write the story.
Wasn't really a secret-baby plot so much as a secret pregnancy plot. He knew she was pregnant but didn't know he was the father.
Wasn't really a secret-baby plot so much as a secret pregnancy plot. He knew she was pregnant but didn't know he was the father.
September 2, 2011
Did not like this at all, did not like the male lead romantic character and struggled to work my way through this book at all. Just not my cup of tea.
October 27, 2013
one reason i give it a 4 stars, instead of 5, was it could have a better ending. a pity.
September 15, 2020
That's the worst thing I have ever read
August 2, 2023
Reread by accident and finished, still yuck. Not much romance, predictable characters and plot.
Original: Did not finish, predictable, skipped to end which is gross.
Original: Did not finish, predictable, skipped to end which is gross.
June 5, 2022
27 years old Martine valued her independance and her relationship with dear Charles, her boss who lost his beloved young wife in an accident and lost his desire to live anymore. She very much wanted to help Charles get back to the person he used to be, but the task was getting difficult especially when Charles brought his cousin Bruno Falcucci to work in the bank and started depending on him entirely to deal with important clients. Not only did Martine suspect Bruno's aim was to take revenge on Charles for the unfairness that had befallen his mother long time ago, but she also suspected he was dangerous to her! Bruno thought she was in a one-sided love with Charles!
Half the book was extremely wonderfull, but the other half was bland for no other reason but the characters personalities went a drastic decline in morality if nothing else. The heroine wasted 7 months of her pregnancy in widening the distance between her and Bruno for no other reason but foolish bride and never once thought of her baby's right to have a father nor of Bruno's right to know of his baby existance. She was too selfish to be liked. The ending was a mere fantasy to my liking as well. NOBODY and I mean NOBODy in their right mind would think of making immediate love to a woman who had delivered his baby five house ago! Brutal and irrealistic!
Half the book was extremely wonderfull, but the other half was bland for no other reason but the characters personalities went a drastic decline in morality if nothing else. The heroine wasted 7 months of her pregnancy in widening the distance between her and Bruno for no other reason but foolish bride and never once thought of her baby's right to have a father nor of Bruno's right to know of his baby existance. She was too selfish to be liked. The ending was a mere fantasy to my liking as well. NOBODY and I mean NOBODy in their right mind would think of making immediate love to a woman who had delivered his baby five house ago! Brutal and irrealistic!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2022
What a disappointment the MFC was: 27, banking assistant, smart and professional ... but a helpless, swooning trainwreck when the MMC so much as looked at her:
“as their bodies touched, Martine had that familiar dizzying sense of the world spinning round her”
“Martine grasped the elegant ironwork railings for support, her heart lurching as she saw him.”
“His harsh, contemptuous tone was like a slap round the face. She couldn't even answer him, she was so insulted.”
He was a nasty alpha asshat - the way he talked to and treated her was appalling. He breaks into her apartment when she won't let him in, at one point she cringes from him because she thinks he's going to hit her, and while she's in LABOUR he's whinging about the jealousy and misery he brought on himself (but blaming her for, of course).
There was no communication, romance or love between them -- only lust.
“as their bodies touched, Martine had that familiar dizzying sense of the world spinning round her”
“Martine grasped the elegant ironwork railings for support, her heart lurching as she saw him.”
“His harsh, contemptuous tone was like a slap round the face. She couldn't even answer him, she was so insulted.”
He was a nasty alpha asshat - the way he talked to and treated her was appalling. He breaks into her apartment when she won't let him in, at one point she cringes from him because she thinks he's going to hit her, and while she's in LABOUR he's whinging about the jealousy and misery he brought on himself (but blaming her for, of course).
There was no communication, romance or love between them -- only lust.
September 5, 2021
Bonkers! This hero is off doing his own book someplace, he is barely in this thing. The heroine is alone in this book! She has no idea what the hero is thinking or doing at all the entire time. So her confusion and anger is understandable because she has no clue what to do. Good thing the baby was a girl because the hero would have hated another male touching the heroine. The hero wanted to bang the heroine in the hospital the DAY she gave birth! He does....stuff that hey maybe turns people on buuuuuut yikes reading it no no not good. Uhhh I'll say read cause it was off the wall.
August 3, 2018
There was no reason for the hero and heroine not to solve their differences earlier in the book. There was a lot of passion, obsession, jealousy etc but I got tired reading it, because of the idiotic misunderstanding that supposedly kept the couple apart.
January 13, 2023
Os protagonistas passam mais tempo separados do que juntos. O Bruno nem se importou com a Martine depois que eles se relacionaram. Eu o achei bem frio e mulherengo.
Só faltou dar um destino ao chefe dela.
Só faltou dar um destino ao chefe dela.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews