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Αγαπημένε άγνωστε
Όταν ο πατέρας της αποφάσισε να της προξενέψει τον πάμπλουτο Γκρεγκ Φόρτνουμ, η Καρολάιν το έσκασε και πήγε να κρυφτεί στο εξοχικό τους. Δε σκόπευε να κάνει ένα συμβατικό και δυστυχισμένο γάμο μόνο για να ευχαριστήσει τον πατέρα της! Εκεί όμως συνάντησε τον Αντρέ, ένα μυστηριώδη και γοητευτικό, αλλά αγενέστατο άγνωστο. Κι όταν αποφάσισε να του δώσει ένα καλό μάθημα, δεν υπολόγισε ότι θα ερωτευόταν αυτό τον υπεροπτικό κι ακατάδεχτο άντρα κι ότι θα υπέφερε τόσο...
157 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1979
11 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,296 books907 followersI have written almost 250 romance novels in contemporary and Regency.
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 8, 2022
Books published back in 1979 have no business being so... NORMAL. Where are slaps, rape, throwing hands and my personal favourite — gaslighting??
Exchanging hurtful words and slut-shaming... so weak *shaking head*.
Their fights got boring.
Exchanging hurtful words and slut-shaming... so weak *shaking head*.
Their fights got boring.
August 28, 2018
3.5 stars
So I made it through this book and managed to enjoy it in spite of my frequent need to mute the heroine. And, all of the drama and angst in this story was caused by jealousy.This heroine was also no Mary Sue ! Caroline was one of those spoilt, bratty rich, daddy's girl who loved to argue just to be contrary. I did end up liking her though, because I realized that her insecurities had caused her to be such a quarrelsome brat around the H. Caroline's one of those vintage heroines who show their love for the H by their tendency to argue with him. I think the arguments were used as a camouflage for all the hidden burgeoning passion she was feeling. The H Andre ( aka Greg Fortnum aka Andre Gregory Fortnum ) was 37 yrs old to her 20 and he was a business colleague of her adoring daddy.
The storyline is crafted around the mistaken identity trope, but this time it's a case of deliberate duplicity since these 2 MC's wouldn't know the truth if it bit them in the ass !
Well, for starters, each is hiding his/her real identity from the other. I understood the H's rationale for hiding his identity because he was a rich tycoon who wanted to take a few days off and enjoy his friend's cottage in rural Cumbria. The heroine, whose dad had loaned the cottage to Andre/Greg, decided to hide her identity out of bratty childish pique and anger. That bemused me because she really had no real reason not to tell the H that she was Caroline Rayner, the daughter of the cottage's owner, Matt Rayner.
I know it seems a bit confusing but here's what happened:
1. Caroline Rayner's dad Matt wanted to set her up with his tycoon friend Greg Fortnum. She hadn't met Greg or seen his photo, even though the man's always in the tabloids and in the financial papers, but had heard that he was a ladies' man. The spoilt brat heroine decided that she wasn't going to stay around in London and be paraded around for a guy who had the following attitude to women:
2. So, she took herself off to the family cottage in Cumbria so she could paint. Her adoring dad didn't know where she was going so he offered the same cottage to the H. And this is the funny part: Andre/Greg was also running away from London because he wanted to avoid Matt Rayner's matchmaking. Andre/Greg had heard all these stories about the heroine and thought she was a flirtatious tarty socialite who had her daddy wrapped around her fingers.
3. At the cottage, Andre/Greg's first assumption was that the heroine was a friend of the infamous Caroline Rayner, so he made some nasty slut shaming comments about her and that's why she got mad and decided to pretend to be Caroline Rawlings. His second assumption, after her father phoned and warned him to stay away from her, was that she was her father's mistress ! Caroline, of course, could have told him the truth but like all spoilt brats she decided to play a little game and see what other bad things he would say about her:
These 2 ended up spending a few days together and kept alternating between arguments and hot passionate make out sessions. The H also showed his jealous, possessive side because he kept saying nasty stuff about her being her father's mistress while trying to get her into bed with him:
André slammed down his glass.
'Then what was all that rubbish about my losing something? If you aren't having an affair with Matt what's to stop you—'
'Sleeping with you?' she finished for him. 'I've already told you that I'm not like that. I don't want that sort of relationship with anyone.'
'And yet if the telephone hadn't rung there's no knowing what would have happened,' he told her grimly.
'I like to think I would have been able to stop in time.' She blushed in her confusion.
They ended up saving a little kitten called Susi but had to return her to her owners. The owners, a brother and sister duo, each took a romantic interest in the heroine and the H respectively but nothing much came out of these platonic dates. The angst got turned up a lot after the heroine left the cottage and returned home. She figured out that she'd fallen in love with Andre/Greg but was still angry at him, especially after she discovered his true identity. Caroline didn't think a man like that would be willing to settle down with just one woman. She went into the usual moping decline where she lost a little weight and kept pining for her true love. The dumb part was that when he did turn up again, she still refused to tell him her real identity ! The H, who was totally obsessed at this point, was filled with jealous rage when he found out she was living with her father. He thought she was her father's live-in mistress, when her dad turned up and interrupted their hot lovemaking session:
'What are you doing here, Matt?' he asked coldly, calmly buttoning his shirt and tucking it back in the waistband of his trousers.
'I live here,' Matt informed him just as coolly.
'You what?' The question was directed at Matt, but he was looking at Caroline.
'I live here.' Matt strolled further into the room. 'This is my apartment.'
He was only making the situation worse in his anger. Green eyes blazed down at her.
'You little bitch!' André picked up his jacket and marched to the door. 'My God!' he muttered. 'You first class little bitch!' he repeated, the door slamming on his exit.
Carole Mortimer took the mistaken identity trope to ridiculous lengths with this storyline. The heroine's dad ended up having a heart attack after the H called his daughter a "first class bitch" and stormed out of the apartment. These MC's weren't exactly likable all the time but I did laugh a lot at how ridiculous they both behaved and enjoyed all the jealous angst that developed as a result of the mistaken identity storyline. Eventually when the H learned the truth, he was so angry because he thought that Caroline and her dad had devised that scheme to trap him into marriage. The MC's were separated for about 6 months before the H made a huge dramatic plan, with her father, to force her to meet him again. Andre/Greg took her back to the cottage where he grovelled and proposed:
His face was twisted with emotion. 'God, you must really hate me if you can think that of me. But I don't care. You're attracted to me physically, and if that's all I can have from you then I'm prepared to accept that. I love you, Caro,' he said firmly, moving closer to her, the look in his eyes one of passionate intensity. 'I desperately want to make you my wife.'
'You want to marry me?' she squeaked, still not quite believing what he was saying. He was so close now their bodies were touching.
'Want to marry you!' he groaned huskily. 'I think I shall go mad if I don't soon have you.' He bent his dark head to slowly caress her neck with his fevered lips.
Safety: There's no sex in this novel. The heroine was celibate during the 6 month separation. The author, as with most vintage novels, didn't provide any information about the H's celibate status during these 6 months. However, he did say he had been going through "hell" without her and his physical appearance wasn't as pristine as usual when she saw him again, so perhaps he really had been suffering and missing her too much to date other women. The MC's dated a couple of other persons. It was all platonic on the heroine's part and the H showed little interest in his date, who had been a former girlfriend of his. On the occasion where he was out on the date with the OW, he dropped her off and returned to the party to stalk the heroine and bully a guy who was coming on to her.
This is the H, Andre Gregory:
This is the heroine, Caroline:
So I made it through this book and managed to enjoy it in spite of my frequent need to mute the heroine. And, all of the drama and angst in this story was caused by jealousy.This heroine was also no Mary Sue ! Caroline was one of those spoilt, bratty rich, daddy's girl who loved to argue just to be contrary. I did end up liking her though, because I realized that her insecurities had caused her to be such a quarrelsome brat around the H. Caroline's one of those vintage heroines who show their love for the H by their tendency to argue with him. I think the arguments were used as a camouflage for all the hidden burgeoning passion she was feeling. The H Andre ( aka Greg Fortnum aka Andre Gregory Fortnum ) was 37 yrs old to her 20 and he was a business colleague of her adoring daddy.
The storyline is crafted around the mistaken identity trope, but this time it's a case of deliberate duplicity since these 2 MC's wouldn't know the truth if it bit them in the ass !
Well, for starters, each is hiding his/her real identity from the other. I understood the H's rationale for hiding his identity because he was a rich tycoon who wanted to take a few days off and enjoy his friend's cottage in rural Cumbria. The heroine, whose dad had loaned the cottage to Andre/Greg, decided to hide her identity out of bratty childish pique and anger. That bemused me because she really had no real reason not to tell the H that she was Caroline Rayner, the daughter of the cottage's owner, Matt Rayner.
I know it seems a bit confusing but here's what happened:
1. Caroline Rayner's dad Matt wanted to set her up with his tycoon friend Greg Fortnum. She hadn't met Greg or seen his photo, even though the man's always in the tabloids and in the financial papers, but had heard that he was a ladies' man. The spoilt brat heroine decided that she wasn't going to stay around in London and be paraded around for a guy who had the following attitude to women:
2. So, she took herself off to the family cottage in Cumbria so she could paint. Her adoring dad didn't know where she was going so he offered the same cottage to the H. And this is the funny part: Andre/Greg was also running away from London because he wanted to avoid Matt Rayner's matchmaking. Andre/Greg had heard all these stories about the heroine and thought she was a flirtatious tarty socialite who had her daddy wrapped around her fingers.
3. At the cottage, Andre/Greg's first assumption was that the heroine was a friend of the infamous Caroline Rayner, so he made some nasty slut shaming comments about her and that's why she got mad and decided to pretend to be Caroline Rawlings. His second assumption, after her father phoned and warned him to stay away from her, was that she was her father's mistress ! Caroline, of course, could have told him the truth but like all spoilt brats she decided to play a little game and see what other bad things he would say about her:
These 2 ended up spending a few days together and kept alternating between arguments and hot passionate make out sessions. The H also showed his jealous, possessive side because he kept saying nasty stuff about her being her father's mistress while trying to get her into bed with him:
André slammed down his glass.
'Then what was all that rubbish about my losing something? If you aren't having an affair with Matt what's to stop you—'
'Sleeping with you?' she finished for him. 'I've already told you that I'm not like that. I don't want that sort of relationship with anyone.'
'And yet if the telephone hadn't rung there's no knowing what would have happened,' he told her grimly.
'I like to think I would have been able to stop in time.' She blushed in her confusion.
They ended up saving a little kitten called Susi but had to return her to her owners. The owners, a brother and sister duo, each took a romantic interest in the heroine and the H respectively but nothing much came out of these platonic dates. The angst got turned up a lot after the heroine left the cottage and returned home. She figured out that she'd fallen in love with Andre/Greg but was still angry at him, especially after she discovered his true identity. Caroline didn't think a man like that would be willing to settle down with just one woman. She went into the usual moping decline where she lost a little weight and kept pining for her true love. The dumb part was that when he did turn up again, she still refused to tell him her real identity ! The H, who was totally obsessed at this point, was filled with jealous rage when he found out she was living with her father. He thought she was her father's live-in mistress, when her dad turned up and interrupted their hot lovemaking session:
'What are you doing here, Matt?' he asked coldly, calmly buttoning his shirt and tucking it back in the waistband of his trousers.
'I live here,' Matt informed him just as coolly.
'You what?' The question was directed at Matt, but he was looking at Caroline.
'I live here.' Matt strolled further into the room. 'This is my apartment.'
He was only making the situation worse in his anger. Green eyes blazed down at her.
'You little bitch!' André picked up his jacket and marched to the door. 'My God!' he muttered. 'You first class little bitch!' he repeated, the door slamming on his exit.
Carole Mortimer took the mistaken identity trope to ridiculous lengths with this storyline. The heroine's dad ended up having a heart attack after the H called his daughter a "first class bitch" and stormed out of the apartment. These MC's weren't exactly likable all the time but I did laugh a lot at how ridiculous they both behaved and enjoyed all the jealous angst that developed as a result of the mistaken identity storyline. Eventually when the H learned the truth, he was so angry because he thought that Caroline and her dad had devised that scheme to trap him into marriage. The MC's were separated for about 6 months before the H made a huge dramatic plan, with her father, to force her to meet him again. Andre/Greg took her back to the cottage where he grovelled and proposed:
His face was twisted with emotion. 'God, you must really hate me if you can think that of me. But I don't care. You're attracted to me physically, and if that's all I can have from you then I'm prepared to accept that. I love you, Caro,' he said firmly, moving closer to her, the look in his eyes one of passionate intensity. 'I desperately want to make you my wife.'
'You want to marry me?' she squeaked, still not quite believing what he was saying. He was so close now their bodies were touching.
'Want to marry you!' he groaned huskily. 'I think I shall go mad if I don't soon have you.' He bent his dark head to slowly caress her neck with his fevered lips.
Safety: There's no sex in this novel. The heroine was celibate during the 6 month separation. The author, as with most vintage novels, didn't provide any information about the H's celibate status during these 6 months. However, he did say he had been going through "hell" without her and his physical appearance wasn't as pristine as usual when she saw him again, so perhaps he really had been suffering and missing her too much to date other women. The MC's dated a couple of other persons. It was all platonic on the heroine's part and the H showed little interest in his date, who had been a former girlfriend of his. On the occasion where he was out on the date with the OW, he dropped her off and returned to the party to stalk the heroine and bully a guy who was coming on to her.
This is the H, Andre Gregory:
This is the heroine, Caroline:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2020
"The Tempestuous Flame" is the story of Caroline and Matt.
In a tale filled with aliases and hidden identities, a couple trying to escape each other ends up together- albeit unknowingly. There are gross accusations, slut shaming, jealousy, OW/OM drama, yearning filled love, revelations, banter and HEA.
I found the couple extremely stubborn, presumptuous and antagonistic. The fights got tiring and I did not feel the chemistry or passion.
SWE
2/5
In a tale filled with aliases and hidden identities, a couple trying to escape each other ends up together- albeit unknowingly. There are gross accusations, slut shaming, jealousy, OW/OM drama, yearning filled love, revelations, banter and HEA.
I found the couple extremely stubborn, presumptuous and antagonistic. The fights got tiring and I did not feel the chemistry or passion.
SWE
2/5
March 25, 2021
"The Tempestuous Flame" is a GREAT Keeper for me.I enjoyed this book so so so much,with the constant fighting between the hero,the arrogant tycoon Andre Gregory and the heroine,the young but beautiful spitfire this one was one of a hell ride full of delicious romance!
I love the heroine and her innocence and her stubborn fire when it came to win over the hero.The chemistry between her and Andre are sizzling and hot and their conversations,their feelings and their love-hate relationship just made my day.
Andre Andre Andre...gosh what a sexy man.He is truly arrogant and cold-hearted from the beginning but i could see his desire and growing love for the heroine,and while he stubbornly fought it,he became the romantic hero all woman wish for,such a demanding vulnerable and possessive lover.His declaration of love at the end nearly broke me,and oh how i have fallen for him!
I love the heroine and her innocence and her stubborn fire when it came to win over the hero.The chemistry between her and Andre are sizzling and hot and their conversations,their feelings and their love-hate relationship just made my day.
Andre Andre Andre...gosh what a sexy man.He is truly arrogant and cold-hearted from the beginning but i could see his desire and growing love for the heroine,and while he stubbornly fought it,he became the romantic hero all woman wish for,such a demanding vulnerable and possessive lover.His declaration of love at the end nearly broke me,and oh how i have fallen for him!
September 10, 2020
cute, old school romance. I did think the h dragged on with her charade of being someone else a little longer than necessary. decent read.
August 16, 2020
Review to come...
February 19, 2012
2 Stars ~ Carolyn Rayner’s father, Matt wants his daughter to marry someone worthy, and is concerned that her wealth will attract the wrong candidate. His business associate Greg Fortnum, aside from his rakish reputation, would be ideal; wealthy and powerful in his own right, Greg’s determined nature would be the perfect match for Carolyn’s fiery temper. Only Carolyn has no desire to even meet Mr. Fortnum, so she takes an unexpected holiday to their cottage outside of London. Settling in, Carolyn is shocked to find she has a visitor and one who is apparently expecting to stay. Andre Gregory wants peace and quiet and the use of his friend’s cottage seemed like the solution he needed. Finding the very beautiful and bewitching Carolyn already in residence proves more of a temptation than he can refuse and a threat to his well sought peace. Andre assumes Carolyn is the friend of Matt’s spoilt party-girl daughter; this makes Carolyn hide the fact that she is the daughter and she decides to teach Andre a lesson for his arrogance. But she’s not the only one hiding her true identity.
Although this is an enjoyable read, the characters and premise have very strong echoes of the book I just previously read and blogged. The chemistry between Andre and Carolyn is explosive. There are some lovely argument scenes, though some written only to drag out the conflict. I did find Carolyn at times to be immature and just as arrogant as Andre in her assumptions. This one was enjoyable, however, not very special.
Although this is an enjoyable read, the characters and premise have very strong echoes of the book I just previously read and blogged. The chemistry between Andre and Carolyn is explosive. There are some lovely argument scenes, though some written only to drag out the conflict. I did find Carolyn at times to be immature and just as arrogant as Andre in her assumptions. This one was enjoyable, however, not very special.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2022
Ah, this one. Read it in my teens and just came across it again. It left an impression as I still remember Andre Gregory Fortnum using his first and middle names so that Caro (how sophisticated I found that shortening of Caroline!) didn't know he was Greg Fortnum, the man her father wanted to foist on her. I remember being very stirred by Mr Fortnum. Didn't remember him smoking but in those days most people did. She was a spoilt brat type but I so envied her her privileged life and handsome H. On reread I saw that she was 20 and he was 37 which is quite an age gap. Didn't bother me then (I was about 14 so 20 probably felt incredibly mature 😂) but now makes me feel a bit more 😬 I could still quote whole passages so it holds a special nostalgic place in my heart. Although it doesn't really stand out now in any other way. Where does the time go?
June 2, 2020
Her 2nd novel and one of my favourites as a teenager.
February 28, 2023
I like the mistaken identity trope.
February 19, 2011
Seriously? I am on page 60 and about to lose it. I think Carole Mortimer is going to have to go the way of Diana Palmer...out of my house! Then, at the end, the declaration of love?? What the Hades?? In the last two pages of the book, his bizzaro behavior is haphazardly explained??
Get real and give me a break!
Get real and give me a break!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2021
Caroline hadn't the slightest intention of allowing her father to marry her off to Greg Fortnum, who she didn't even know apart from his dubious reputation. So she ran off to the wilds of Cumbria - where she met the mysterious Andre, who turned out to be an even greater threat to her peace of mind than her father and Greg Fortnum combined...
February 21, 2021
The MCs spend five days together in a cottage giving each other false names for different reasons. The h's father was trying to play matchmaker and the h ran way to the cottage to escape his machinations. Unbeknownst to her, her father sent the H to the cottage to get some R&R. There is constant fighting between the two MCs because the H is attracted to the h but thinks she is mistress to the father. She doesn't want to reveal her identity so she continues to let him think that even when she catches feelings for him and recognizes this is causing discord. (She's 20 and acts like it and he's 37.)
Considering they spent a vast majority of their five days together fighting and not getting to know each other (personally or biblically), I didn't believe that their connection could lead to angst that would last for months/over a year. Too much time passed for too little of a relationship.
Considering they spent a vast majority of their five days together fighting and not getting to know each other (personally or biblically), I didn't believe that their connection could lead to angst that would last for months/over a year. Too much time passed for too little of a relationship.
July 19, 2022
Πόσο ωραία ιστορία αλήθεια!!!! Μεγάλη ένταση που ξεπηδά από μια μεγάλη κόντρα και φτάνει στο ζενίθ με ένα ερωτικό παραλήρημα !!! Η ιστορία της Καρολάιν και του Αντρέ (Γκρεγκ) από την μοναδική και αγαπημένη μου Κάρολ Μόρτιμερ, μου άφησε παρά πολύ καλές εντυπώσεις!!!! ΕΚΠΛΗΚΤΙΚΟ!!!!
October 13, 2017
Love this book, I have being looking for this book for ever. Found it on Monday October 09, 2017 and reread it again.
September 12, 2022
Very nice
September 21, 2023
Phew!!
I am so glad it ended, God both the H and h deserve each other.
It was just bickering from start to end.
Both were arrogant idiots and presumptuous, they really need to act their age.
I am so glad it ended, God both the H and h deserve each other.
It was just bickering from start to end.
Both were arrogant idiots and presumptuous, they really need to act their age.
October 26, 2023
Caroline hadn't the slightest intention of allowing her father to marry her off to Greg Fortnum, who she didn't even know apart from his dubious reputation.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews