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Puffin Island #0.5
Playing by the Greek's Rules
It’s time to throw away the rule book…
Idealistic archaeologist Lily Rose craves a fairytale love, but in her experience it always ends in heartbreak. So now Lily’s trying a different approach – a fling with her boss, infamous Greek playboy Nik Zervakis!
Anti-love and anti-family, Nik lives by his own set of rules. There’s no one better to teach Lily how to separate sizzling sex from deep emotions! But whilst Nik has the world at his feet, he also has dark shadows in his heart...
It starts as a sensual game, but can Lily stick to Nik’s rules? And what’s more, can he…
Praise for Sarah Morgan
Playing by the Greek’s Rules 4.5* TOP PICK RT Book Review
Her narrative is richly entertaining and informative, the settings are elegantly opulent and her characters are so real they become your friends. Lily’s anecdotal humor steals the show.
Lost to the Desert Warrior 4.5* TOP PICK RT Book Review
Morgan’s masterful romance engages all senses with a narrative that transports readers to a magical world. Her words paint brilliant desert sand-scapes that will awe, and her love scenes will scorch like the hot desert sun.
An Invitation to Sin 4.5* TOP PICK RT Book Review
Set amidst the lavish majesty of Sicily, Morgan’s brilliant tale beautifully marries intense drama with laugh-out-loud humor. Her powerful dialogue, laced with sarcastic banter, is mesmerizing. Brava!
Idealistic archaeologist Lily Rose craves a fairytale love, but in her experience it always ends in heartbreak. So now Lily’s trying a different approach – a fling with her boss, infamous Greek playboy Nik Zervakis!
Anti-love and anti-family, Nik lives by his own set of rules. There’s no one better to teach Lily how to separate sizzling sex from deep emotions! But whilst Nik has the world at his feet, he also has dark shadows in his heart...
It starts as a sensual game, but can Lily stick to Nik’s rules? And what’s more, can he…
Praise for Sarah Morgan
Playing by the Greek’s Rules 4.5* TOP PICK RT Book Review
Her narrative is richly entertaining and informative, the settings are elegantly opulent and her characters are so real they become your friends. Lily’s anecdotal humor steals the show.
Lost to the Desert Warrior 4.5* TOP PICK RT Book Review
Morgan’s masterful romance engages all senses with a narrative that transports readers to a magical world. Her words paint brilliant desert sand-scapes that will awe, and her love scenes will scorch like the hot desert sun.
An Invitation to Sin 4.5* TOP PICK RT Book Review
Set amidst the lavish majesty of Sicily, Morgan’s brilliant tale beautifully marries intense drama with laugh-out-loud humor. Her powerful dialogue, laced with sarcastic banter, is mesmerizing. Brava!
Paperback
First published January 20, 2015
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About the author
Sarah Morgan
697 books7,191 followersAbout Sarah
USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women's fiction and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors.
Look out for Sarah's latest novel - All Together for Christmas (UK title)/ A Merry Little Lie (US/Canadian title)
Join Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahM...
Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMorgan_
Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorgan...
Website: www.sarahmorgan.com
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women's fiction and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors.
Look out for Sarah's latest novel - All Together for Christmas (UK title)/ A Merry Little Lie (US/Canadian title)
Join Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahM...
Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMorgan_
Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorgan...
Website: www.sarahmorgan.com
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
April 17, 2017
What a fabulous story!!!
Lily Rose (adore her name…) believes in love and HEA’s. Despite being an unwanted orphan and being let down and betrayed, she has not let it change her mind…
Nik Zervakis, is an enigmatic, gorgeous, sexy and very very rich Greek billionaire (ooh, I love Greek heroes..they are my absolute favorite – of course, it could have something to do with the fact that my late husband love of my life was a Greek hero…)
So, what we have are two total opposites!!! What could possibly get Lily & Nik together???
Lily has a checklist for finding her perfect man!!!
Lily is going to take control of her life. Forget love…..she’s going to try rebound sex!!!
Okay, Lily!!!!!
Her new adventure begins when she meets Nik, her boss, in his house, which she’s cleaning to make ends meet…in his bathroom….. WHAT A HILARIOUS SCENE!!!!! I was rolling on the floor with laughter!!!
She decides that Nik is just the right guy to practice rebound sex with………after all he’s not into the love thing….and what a luck…he totally agrees and they come to an agreement to have sex with no strings!!!!
But sometimes rules don’t really work. Nik is fascinated by Lily’s joie de vivre and lovable demeanor and Lily finds herself wanting to be his favorite person………something she has always wanted to be.
Nik tries hard not to fall in love with Lily – she is of course head over heels in love with him.
Lily is like a breath of fresh air………the dialogue between the two is absolutely fabulous…Lily never stops talking –
Nik & Lily’s HEA is sweet, emotional and witty………….and loved that she found her prince……
And just to end off my rave about these two adorable characters going off into the sunset after finding their HEA……..let me say that I, too…..
Lily Rose (adore her name…) believes in love and HEA’s. Despite being an unwanted orphan and being let down and betrayed, she has not let it change her mind…
Nik Zervakis, is an enigmatic, gorgeous, sexy and very very rich Greek billionaire (ooh, I love Greek heroes..they are my absolute favorite – of course, it could have something to do with the fact that my late husband love of my life was a Greek hero…)
Now, Nik does not believe in love, in marriage and only does sex!!!!
So, what we have are two total opposites!!! What could possibly get Lily & Nik together???
Lily has a checklist for finding her perfect man!!!
”The problem is that she falls in love with all the wrong guys….she thinks that they fit the ticks in her boxes but instead turn out to be liars and cheats….just like her last boyfriend, who turned out to be married and never told her!!!
I know the basic qualities I need in a man to be happy. I never date anyone who doesn't score highly on my three points.”
''First, he has to be affectionate. I'm not interested in a man who can't show his feelings. Second, he has to be honest, but short of getting him to take a lie detector test I don't know how to check that one.
'I want a man with strong family values. He has to want a family.
Lily is going to take control of her life. Forget love…..she’s going to try rebound sex!!!
Okay, Lily!!!!!
Her new adventure begins when she meets Nik, her boss, in his house, which she’s cleaning to make ends meet…in his bathroom….. WHAT A HILARIOUS SCENE!!!!! I was rolling on the floor with laughter!!!
She decides that Nik is just the right guy to practice rebound sex with………after all he’s not into the love thing….and what a luck…he totally agrees and they come to an agreement to have sex with no strings!!!!
But sometimes rules don’t really work. Nik is fascinated by Lily’s joie de vivre and lovable demeanor and Lily finds herself wanting to be his favorite person………something she has always wanted to be.
Nik tries hard not to fall in love with Lily – she is of course head over heels in love with him.
Lily is like a breath of fresh air………the dialogue between the two is absolutely fabulous…Lily never stops talking –
there’s no ;hidden agenda in her life. and Nik cannot resist her!!!! Yay!!!!
Nik & Lily’s HEA is sweet, emotional and witty………….and loved that she found her prince……
And just to end off my rave about these two adorable characters going off into the sunset after finding their HEA……..let me say that I, too…..
August 6, 2016
Lily Rose is an archaeologist working in Greece. She has a master's in archaeology but she's temporarily working for a cleaning company to pay off some debts. The owner of the cleaning company she works for calls her and she's assigned to clean wealthy Nik Zervakis's home. Unfortunately, the other members of the cleaning team were in an accident so that just leaves Lily to do the job alone. While cleaning his home she goes in the large shower, is confused over the buttons, hits a wrong one, and ends up drenched--right when Nik arrives home with his date. Needless to say, his date leaves in a fury, thinking Lily is his girlfriend. Nik is expected to open a new wing at a museum that night, so he asks Lily to be his replacement date. Feeling guilty, Lily accepts. Lily was just in a bad relationship--she seems to always fall for the wrong guy. Her friend, Brittany, suggested that Lily have an emotionless fling--rebound sex she calls it. Lily realizes Nik is the perfect candidate. She could never possibly fall for him--he's the total opposite of what she wants in a man. She suggests it, Nik agrees, and what follows is a very enjoyable story!
This book was really good and sometimes quite funny! Lily was a cute and warm heroine. She was always trying to look on the bright side of things. She grew up in foster homes and really just wants to belong. I liked how she tried to bring Nik closer to his father. Nik doesn't believe in love or marriage--his parents' marriage broke up many years ago when he was a kid and Nik's father is now on his fourth marriage.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a lovely, upbeat romance, with a beautiful Greek setting, and it's connected to Sarah Morgan's "Puffin Island" series.
This book was really good and sometimes quite funny! Lily was a cute and warm heroine. She was always trying to look on the bright side of things. She grew up in foster homes and really just wants to belong. I liked how she tried to bring Nik closer to his father. Nik doesn't believe in love or marriage--his parents' marriage broke up many years ago when he was a kid and Nik's father is now on his fourth marriage.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a lovely, upbeat romance, with a beautiful Greek setting, and it's connected to Sarah Morgan's "Puffin Island" series.
April 17, 2017
Wow, this was so adorable. Sarah Morgan is definitely going to get a second look if she can produce more characters like these.
Lily Rose, the nutcase heroine, is a sweetheart, a cocked-eyed optimist. You can practically hear the South Pacific song as she rattles on at times. She's devastated that she found out that the man she was seeing was married, and knows she needs to change how she looks at love. I don't know if they had a physical relationship or not, but she's horrified at what a louse he was to her and to his wife. She is not a virgin, but is relatively innocent.
She has a meet cute with Nik, a wannabe Greek alpha brooder, who is completely and utterly fascinated by Lily's sunny and irreverent ways. Serious insta-lust in his heart that he tries to damp down as he knows he would not be good for her, but he's a goner. Lilly wins him over with her whimsical quirkiness from wanting to wear a giant condom as emotional contraception so she won't get hurt again to her persuasive comments to have "rebound sex", "What I lack in experience I make up in enthusiasm," and "I do yoga. I am very bendy. She promises NOT to fall in love, he can have his attorney hammer out "a pre-non-nuptial agreement. He tries to stonewall her, but caves, of course.
They end up having more than one night together and she ends up at his father's latest wedding. Nik is an emotionally shut down brooder, but he really has to work at it. Their banter is cute, and the sex/love scenes are pretty intense. There are hints that he is more than just dominant, but it's more of a suggestion.
The book is not perfect. A little bit of work and it could be so much better. It's an insta-love/lust for sure. Picking up a little more on why Lily struggles to choose a profession would flesh her out more, as well as more resolution about the H's mother. Lily chatters incessantly and is more than a little obsessiveand sometimes even annoying about having Nic explores his feelings about family and not wanting love. However, having a sexy smitten hero and a cute heroine with honor and a spine makes such a nice change of pace that who cares. Twice, I had to check the electronic cover to make sure I was actually reading a Harlequin Presents.
For those who think she's immoral because of the possible affair with a married man, I see it quite differently, as she puts an end to it immediately, and is truly distraught about the potential consequences for his family. She also makes it clear to him what a dirtbag he is. A knuckle sandwich from the hero would have been a nice touch .
Oh, what the heck. Here's a clip from South Pacific...Rossano Brazzi is a little older than the H, and, oh no, Italian not Greek, but this gives a nice look at the dynamics of a cynical and hurt alpha H paired with a sweeter and sunny h.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao4gK...
Lily Rose, the nutcase heroine, is a sweetheart, a cocked-eyed optimist. You can practically hear the South Pacific song as she rattles on at times. She's devastated that she found out that the man she was seeing was married, and knows she needs to change how she looks at love. I don't know if they had a physical relationship or not, but she's horrified at what a louse he was to her and to his wife. She is not a virgin, but is relatively innocent.
She has a meet cute with Nik, a wannabe Greek alpha brooder, who is completely and utterly fascinated by Lily's sunny and irreverent ways. Serious insta-lust in his heart that he tries to damp down as he knows he would not be good for her, but he's a goner. Lilly wins him over with her whimsical quirkiness from wanting to wear a giant condom as emotional contraception so she won't get hurt again to her persuasive comments to have "rebound sex", "What I lack in experience I make up in enthusiasm," and "I do yoga. I am very bendy. She promises NOT to fall in love, he can have his attorney hammer out "a pre-non-nuptial agreement. He tries to stonewall her, but caves, of course.
They end up having more than one night together and she ends up at his father's latest wedding. Nik is an emotionally shut down brooder, but he really has to work at it. Their banter is cute, and the sex/love scenes are pretty intense. There are hints that he is more than just dominant, but it's more of a suggestion.
The book is not perfect. A little bit of work and it could be so much better. It's an insta-love/lust for sure. Picking up a little more on why Lily struggles to choose a profession would flesh her out more, as well as more resolution about the H's mother. Lily chatters incessantly and is more than a little obsessive
For those who think she's immoral because of the possible affair with a married man, I see it quite differently, as she puts an end to it immediately, and is truly distraught about the potential consequences for his family. She also makes it clear to him what a dirtbag he is. A knuckle sandwich from the hero would have been a nice touch .
Oh, what the heck. Here's a clip from South Pacific...Rossano Brazzi is a little older than the H, and, oh no, Italian not Greek, but this gives a nice look at the dynamics of a cynical and hurt alpha H paired with a sweeter and sunny h.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao4gK...
June 28, 2021
Lily Rose, our heroine, is earnest and endlessly funny which makes this book one of my all-time favourite romance novels.
June 24, 2018
I’m going to pick a guy I couldn’t possibly fall in love with. Then I’ll be safe. It will be like...emotional contraception.”
Sarah Morgan struck gold with this one.
June 24, 2018
5 - "We're not so different... you and I." Stars!
"I want to be someone's dream come true. I want to be the person they call when they're happy or sad. The one they want to wake up next to and grow old with..."
Perfection. It needs no other words.
"I want to be someone's dream come true. I want to be the person they call when they're happy or sad. The one they want to wake up next to and grow old with..."
Perfection. It needs no other words.
April 15, 2017
Fluff! Thistledown light and airy. Sunshine and rainbows. That's our heroine - an archaeologist who moonlights cleaning the villas around the dig on the Greek island of Crete. She meets the hero in her underwear after she inadvertently soaks herself trying the clean the complicated shower. The hero's date is miffed and walks out on him. The hero is intrigued and asks her to accompany him that night to an opening of a museum wing that he sponsored.
The heroine wants commitment because she was a foster child. The hero doesn't want commitment because he's seen how unsuccessful his father's three marriages have been.
Thankfully, all of their backstory is conveyed through dialogue because they actually talk to each other. (I know - don't faint - it was refreshing.) And there is very little inner monologue - praise the HP gods.
There is no real angst in the story - just a nice tension as the heroine tries to have "rebound sex" with the hero and not get caught up in her feelings. The hero is, of course, falling fast and he doesn't do much to stop himself.
These are two great characters that appear to be opposites at first, but then find so much common ground they could start their own country.
The heroine wants commitment because she was a foster child. The hero doesn't want commitment because he's seen how unsuccessful his father's three marriages have been.
Thankfully, all of their backstory is conveyed through dialogue because they actually talk to each other. (I know - don't faint - it was refreshing.) And there is very little inner monologue - praise the HP gods.
There is no real angst in the story - just a nice tension as the heroine tries to have "rebound sex" with the hero and not get caught up in her feelings. The hero is, of course, falling fast and he doesn't do much to stop himself.
These are two great characters that appear to be opposites at first, but then find so much common ground they could start their own country.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2015
Not a fan of non virginal heroines when I read a Harlequin Presents. Plus the fact that heroine had an affair with a married family man with kids is disgusting as far as I'm concerned. I don't care if she didn't know, it still makes me want to throw up a little bit in my mouth!
November 13, 2015
5 Words: Romance, family, relationships, love, forgiveness.
This book is pure indulgence. Sarah Morgan has done it again.
It's fair to say that this book is fun and flirty, and honestly? Quite fluffy. But sometimes that what you need, and this book is a perfect mood booster for a rainy day, something to brighten up a dull day and something to laze around with on a summers day.
This book is easy to dip in and out of, but I found that I didn't want to put it down.
It's crazy and passionate and gives you some insight into the Puffin Island characters - and I certainly hope Lily features some more in that series.
This book is pure indulgence. Sarah Morgan has done it again.
It's fair to say that this book is fun and flirty, and honestly? Quite fluffy. But sometimes that what you need, and this book is a perfect mood booster for a rainy day, something to brighten up a dull day and something to laze around with on a summers day.
This book is easy to dip in and out of, but I found that I didn't want to put it down.
It's crazy and passionate and gives you some insight into the Puffin Island characters - and I certainly hope Lily features some more in that series.
October 17, 2017
Three words:
I LOVE IT!!!
Sarah morgan has done her magic again.
No wonder she is one of my favorite writer. This book was simply adorable. Their banter was so funny and entertaining. I enjoyed thoroughly.
Usually when protagonists meet ,hero changes heroine’s life. In this case Lily totally changed Nik’s.
I adored our funny, optimistic, feisty heroine. Her past made her a better person which was what exactly Nik needed. I loved the story style and pace. The greek setting was perfect . And it definitely didn’t hurt that heroine was an archeologist.I was never bored or never laughed so much reading a HP romance. And Nik.. god he was so mysterious and Alpha in the beginning later the way he cared for her made this book. He never once hurt her with callous words or actions. And I loved the last chapter. And lets not forget how sexy they were together and how sone pages got fire.(oooh) Its was so different from usual HP plots of past miseries, present insults hurling and future concerns (eye rolling sometimes)🙄🙄
I needed more of them so epilogue was highly missed😢.
I will most definitely recommend this to all romance lovers who wanna lighten up their day.
I LOVE IT!!!
Sarah morgan has done her magic again.
No wonder she is one of my favorite writer. This book was simply adorable. Their banter was so funny and entertaining. I enjoyed thoroughly.
Usually when protagonists meet ,hero changes heroine’s life. In this case Lily totally changed Nik’s.
I adored our funny, optimistic, feisty heroine. Her past made her a better person which was what exactly Nik needed. I loved the story style and pace. The greek setting was perfect . And it definitely didn’t hurt that heroine was an archeologist.I was never bored or never laughed so much reading a HP romance. And Nik.. god he was so mysterious and Alpha in the beginning later the way he cared for her made this book. He never once hurt her with callous words or actions. And I loved the last chapter. And lets not forget how sexy they were together and how sone pages got fire.(oooh) Its was so different from usual HP plots of past miseries, present insults hurling and future concerns (eye rolling sometimes)🙄🙄
I needed more of them so epilogue was highly missed😢.
I will most definitely recommend this to all romance lovers who wanna lighten up their day.
March 19, 2015
Sarah Morgan activates a favourite meet-cute in this book, which is ‘somehow, the hero meets the heroine when she is naked.’ Or in this case, mostly naked, but let’s not quibble over a bit of underwear, because anyway: it’s wet.
Lily Rose is refreshingly cheerful for a romance heroine. Sure, she’s just found out that the man she thought she was falling in love with is married with children, but this is an opportunity! She can stop being all mushy and romantic and start doing relationships like a boss. Ending up about 90% naked in Nik’s shower required a fairly convoluted set up with a lot of complicated exposition covered in a discussion with a couple of work friends. To summarise, and leave out the set up for another heroine: Lily has a master’s in archaeology and her area of expertise is Minoan ceramics. She’s been working on a dig, but the funding is coming to an end. In her spare time (when she’s not doing archaeology stuff or pottery or sleeping) Lily works for a cleaning company and has a two day a week internship at ZervaCo, which is a mega global techno company. Incidentally, Nik owns that company.
Lily’s been invited to an event at the museum that evening, but is turning it down to go clean a big rich villa. She doesn’t know where it is, or to whom it belongs, because of security. And when she gets there, it turns out she’s the only one doing the cleaning because the rest of the team can’t make it. Lily is hopeless with technology and recently broke the photocopier and the coffee machine at ZervaCo. She is also hopeless with showers, and manages to turn one on way too much. There is nothing wrong in taking the ‘mash all buttons repeatedly and then run away if something explodes’ approach to technology. Technology won’t get any better without brave and impatient souls who click all buttons and then click them again when nothing happens. Lily ends up all wet, and therefore must take off her all wet uniform, and is still working out what to do next when Nik walks in with a lady. Incidentally, Nik owns the villa.
The lady is all ‘who is this fat girl in your shower, I don’t do threesomes, and I especially don’t do threesomes that aren’t B-G-B, and I especially especially don’t do threesomes with fatties.’ Lily insists that her weight is within the acceptable BMI range, and that she is not there to menage, and that she has had a cleaning related workplace accident. The lady does not believe her at all, and Nik doesn’t believe in explaining stuff. The lady huffs off.
Lily is then adorable about her hopelessness at doing relationships. She decides to appoint Nik as her relationship Yoda, and she does most of the talking. Presumably, Nik’s just checking her out the whole time and thinking about how adorable she is, and he occasionally throws in some cool innuendo. He also manages to work out that Lily would be a great date to this museum thing he has to speak at that evening, since she can brief him on pottery. Incidentally, Nik is a patron of the museum Lily works with or is somehow attached to.
The degree of coincidence required to get this plot humming along is high, but it doesn’t matter. It also doesn’t matter that Lily’s internship at ZervaCo is never anything more than a background detail. This is all just super-fun. Sure, Nik has the usual romance hero hang ups about commitment and relationships, but he’s got a sense of humour most of the time, and is very into Lily. With the exception of Nik’s date, everyone finds Lily completely charming, and that’s refreshing. Lily and Nik have a great time, argue, have a great time. This is such a fun book.
Lily Rose is refreshingly cheerful for a romance heroine. Sure, she’s just found out that the man she thought she was falling in love with is married with children, but this is an opportunity! She can stop being all mushy and romantic and start doing relationships like a boss. Ending up about 90% naked in Nik’s shower required a fairly convoluted set up with a lot of complicated exposition covered in a discussion with a couple of work friends. To summarise, and leave out the set up for another heroine: Lily has a master’s in archaeology and her area of expertise is Minoan ceramics. She’s been working on a dig, but the funding is coming to an end. In her spare time (when she’s not doing archaeology stuff or pottery or sleeping) Lily works for a cleaning company and has a two day a week internship at ZervaCo, which is a mega global techno company. Incidentally, Nik owns that company.
Lily’s been invited to an event at the museum that evening, but is turning it down to go clean a big rich villa. She doesn’t know where it is, or to whom it belongs, because of security. And when she gets there, it turns out she’s the only one doing the cleaning because the rest of the team can’t make it. Lily is hopeless with technology and recently broke the photocopier and the coffee machine at ZervaCo. She is also hopeless with showers, and manages to turn one on way too much. There is nothing wrong in taking the ‘mash all buttons repeatedly and then run away if something explodes’ approach to technology. Technology won’t get any better without brave and impatient souls who click all buttons and then click them again when nothing happens. Lily ends up all wet, and therefore must take off her all wet uniform, and is still working out what to do next when Nik walks in with a lady. Incidentally, Nik owns the villa.
The lady is all ‘who is this fat girl in your shower, I don’t do threesomes, and I especially don’t do threesomes that aren’t B-G-B, and I especially especially don’t do threesomes with fatties.’ Lily insists that her weight is within the acceptable BMI range, and that she is not there to menage, and that she has had a cleaning related workplace accident. The lady does not believe her at all, and Nik doesn’t believe in explaining stuff. The lady huffs off.
Lily is then adorable about her hopelessness at doing relationships. She decides to appoint Nik as her relationship Yoda, and she does most of the talking. Presumably, Nik’s just checking her out the whole time and thinking about how adorable she is, and he occasionally throws in some cool innuendo. He also manages to work out that Lily would be a great date to this museum thing he has to speak at that evening, since she can brief him on pottery. Incidentally, Nik is a patron of the museum Lily works with or is somehow attached to.
The degree of coincidence required to get this plot humming along is high, but it doesn’t matter. It also doesn’t matter that Lily’s internship at ZervaCo is never anything more than a background detail. This is all just super-fun. Sure, Nik has the usual romance hero hang ups about commitment and relationships, but he’s got a sense of humour most of the time, and is very into Lily. With the exception of Nik’s date, everyone finds Lily completely charming, and that’s refreshing. Lily and Nik have a great time, argue, have a great time. This is such a fun book.
July 17, 2021
4 Stars
I really enjoyed this short, category billionaire romance. It was wonderfully executed for a story under 200 pages. The heroine Lily may have had the typical sad back story, but her optimistic outlook and refreshing personality strengthened and carried the story.
January 4, 2015
4.5 stars!
Another fantastic read from Sarah Morgan.
Lilly Rose is a young, optimistic archeologist who is moonlighting as an assistant to Nik Zervakis to pay off her student loans while on an archeological dig in Crete. She just got out of a relationship after she found out he was married and vowed to change her ideas about relationship a bit. Nik is a handsome cynical billionaire who doesn't believe in love after witnessing his mother walk out on him and his father.
After a hilarious first meeting, Lilly and Nik embarks on a purely sexual relationship with a lot of laughs along the way. Lilly with her undying optimism, managed to get under enigmatic Nik's skin. And their journey to HEA was really fun and sweet.
This book was 192 pages but Sarah Morgan managed to pack so much witty banter and character development into it it feels longer, in a good way. Meaning, this doesn't read like the usual HP line.
Loved that the heroine was non-virgin, and was hilarious, and honest about wanting love and a family. Plus the chemistry between the two leads was just awesome.
I'm definitely looking forward to the other two books in the series featuring Lilly's friends. I got to say Sarah Morgan continues to write stories that I want to read. She hasn't failed me yet.
***Recommended for readers who wants some light romantic read.
ARC provided by Harlequin via NetGalley.
Another fantastic read from Sarah Morgan.
Lilly Rose is a young, optimistic archeologist who is moonlighting as an assistant to Nik Zervakis to pay off her student loans while on an archeological dig in Crete. She just got out of a relationship after she found out he was married and vowed to change her ideas about relationship a bit. Nik is a handsome cynical billionaire who doesn't believe in love after witnessing his mother walk out on him and his father.
After a hilarious first meeting, Lilly and Nik embarks on a purely sexual relationship with a lot of laughs along the way. Lilly with her undying optimism, managed to get under enigmatic Nik's skin. And their journey to HEA was really fun and sweet.
This book was 192 pages but Sarah Morgan managed to pack so much witty banter and character development into it it feels longer, in a good way. Meaning, this doesn't read like the usual HP line.
Loved that the heroine was non-virgin, and was hilarious, and honest about wanting love and a family. Plus the chemistry between the two leads was just awesome.
I'm definitely looking forward to the other two books in the series featuring Lilly's friends. I got to say Sarah Morgan continues to write stories that I want to read. She hasn't failed me yet.
***Recommended for readers who wants some light romantic read.
ARC provided by Harlequin via NetGalley.
November 7, 2019
‘I do yoga. I’m very bendy.’
Nik gave a soft curse. ‘Stop talking.’
‘I can put my legs behind my head.’
‘Cristo, you should definitely stop talking.’ His libido was urging logic to surrender.
LOL
"Playing by the Greek's Rules" is the story of Lily and Nik.
Ah! This just made me SWOON!
Our heroine is a happy-go-lucky, ever so positive, Mary-Poppin-ish orphan who has faced immense sadness and heartbreak in her life, but continues to brave every day with a smile. Extremely accomplished and independent, when another lying boyfriend breaks her heart, she vows to go on a rebound..only to end up in her boss's shower! How she charms a cynic, makes him fall crazy in love with her, repairs his family bonds, teaches him the importance of love and basically lights up his sterile life while sexing him 69 ways forms the story!
I want to be someone’s favourite person.
Aww Lily *insert bittersweet tears*
The heroine was absolutely amazing. Naive and optimistic, I could not help but cry and laugh with her, and totally was rooting for her pure and vulnerable soul who deserved all the happiness and goodness that was bestowed upon her. The hero stood NO CHANCE! She was perfection.
‘I can take care of myself. I’ve learned a lot from you. I’m Kevlar.’
‘You are marshmallow-coated sunshine,’ he drawled, ‘and you need someone with a less shiny view on life to watch out for you. I don’t want this to be a rebound relationship, Lily. I want more.’
Loved it!
Safe
4.5/5
Nik gave a soft curse. ‘Stop talking.’
‘I can put my legs behind my head.’
‘Cristo, you should definitely stop talking.’ His libido was urging logic to surrender.
LOL
"Playing by the Greek's Rules" is the story of Lily and Nik.
Ah! This just made me SWOON!
Our heroine is a happy-go-lucky, ever so positive, Mary-Poppin-ish orphan who has faced immense sadness and heartbreak in her life, but continues to brave every day with a smile. Extremely accomplished and independent, when another lying boyfriend breaks her heart, she vows to go on a rebound..only to end up in her boss's shower! How she charms a cynic, makes him fall crazy in love with her, repairs his family bonds, teaches him the importance of love and basically lights up his sterile life while sexing him 69 ways forms the story!
I want to be someone’s favourite person.
Aww Lily *insert bittersweet tears*
The heroine was absolutely amazing. Naive and optimistic, I could not help but cry and laugh with her, and totally was rooting for her pure and vulnerable soul who deserved all the happiness and goodness that was bestowed upon her. The hero stood NO CHANCE! She was perfection.
‘I can take care of myself. I’ve learned a lot from you. I’m Kevlar.’
‘You are marshmallow-coated sunshine,’ he drawled, ‘and you need someone with a less shiny view on life to watch out for you. I don’t want this to be a rebound relationship, Lily. I want more.’
Loved it!
Safe
4.5/5
January 22, 2015
I found the dialogue in this story hilarious at times and at other times I cried, so my emotions were definitely involved.
Lily is an eternal optimist despite her background. Nic is a hardened businessman and the result of his parents' failed marriage. They come together for sex only ( or so they think) but of course it develops into something more.
I must say I struggled a little with the concept of rebound sex but the story kept me engaged and I really liked both heroine and hero and the dialogue was great!
Lily is an eternal optimist despite her background. Nic is a hardened businessman and the result of his parents' failed marriage. They come together for sex only ( or so they think) but of course it develops into something more.
I must say I struggled a little with the concept of rebound sex but the story kept me engaged and I really liked both heroine and hero and the dialogue was great!
September 30, 2022
I love it when I find a book that so unexpectedly turns out to be freaking awesome! I swear it makes me giddy. I really don't know how Ms. Morgan does it, but she's yet to disappoint me. I loved it from the beginning until the last stinking word.
Perfectly funny.
Perfectly smutty.
Perfectly developed.
Just perfect.
Without too much drama, that makes you want to pull your hair out. It's such a simple story too. This was just the book I needed.
"As a matter of interest, what is your goal in the relationship?"
"Orgasms." He gave her a slow smile, and she felt scarlet.
I liked Nik's character from the get-go. I thought he was charming, funny, considerate, honest, loyal, and a decent guy. Actually, he was like a breath of fresh air from the usual HP heroes. No games. No revenge. No hidden agendas. He's not cruel or mean to our heroine. And he also wasn't afraid to let her know how he felt—finally, a hot Greek alpha who actually knows how to communicate. I, quite simply, fell in love with Nik's character.
Lily Rose. She's one of the most endearing characters I've read. She's smart, sassy, and courageous. She's simply fabulous. I liked her confidence, naivety, and kindness, even though she had a few of those "too stupid to live" moments. Argh! She's just the type of heroine who makes you smile whenever she comes into the story.
The chemistry between these two was practically oozing. I loved how Nik lovingly calls her "marshmallow-coated sunshine." I just loved everything about this book. The writing, the banter between Nik and Lily. And practically everyone, the progression of their relationship, the smoky hot sex. All of it. I always found myself looking forward to their witty and hilarious interactions.
Overall, Playing by the Greek Rules was sexy, entertaining, and a lot of fun read with the perfect amount of sexy scenes and a great dose of humor. I closed this book with a happy heart and a smile on my face.
Perfectly funny.
Perfectly smutty.
Perfectly developed.
Just perfect.
Without too much drama, that makes you want to pull your hair out. It's such a simple story too. This was just the book I needed.
"As a matter of interest, what is your goal in the relationship?"
"Orgasms." He gave her a slow smile, and she felt scarlet.
I liked Nik's character from the get-go. I thought he was charming, funny, considerate, honest, loyal, and a decent guy. Actually, he was like a breath of fresh air from the usual HP heroes. No games. No revenge. No hidden agendas. He's not cruel or mean to our heroine. And he also wasn't afraid to let her know how he felt—finally, a hot Greek alpha who actually knows how to communicate. I, quite simply, fell in love with Nik's character.
Lily Rose. She's one of the most endearing characters I've read. She's smart, sassy, and courageous. She's simply fabulous. I liked her confidence, naivety, and kindness, even though she had a few of those "too stupid to live" moments. Argh! She's just the type of heroine who makes you smile whenever she comes into the story.
The chemistry between these two was practically oozing. I loved how Nik lovingly calls her "marshmallow-coated sunshine." I just loved everything about this book. The writing, the banter between Nik and Lily. And practically everyone, the progression of their relationship, the smoky hot sex. All of it. I always found myself looking forward to their witty and hilarious interactions.
Overall, Playing by the Greek Rules was sexy, entertaining, and a lot of fun read with the perfect amount of sexy scenes and a great dose of humor. I closed this book with a happy heart and a smile on my face.
January 2, 2015
3.5 stars
I liked the heroine and the hero, opposite attract and all that.
I liked the heroine and the hero, opposite attract and all that.
June 29, 2021
3.5 to 4 stars. A short, light, sweet romance with a delightful heroine who carries the story. A quick and heart-warming read. Nice escapism in these tricky times.
October 19, 2019
Easy story, fun, with no angst. Introduces Morgan's Puffin Island series.
Lily is eternally optimistic and believes in a fairy-tale type of love; Nik is one of those grouchy non-committal types. After having her heart broken, Lily convinces Nik to have a no-strings-attached evening of "rebound sex" except they both have trouble following their own rules and allow their feelings get in the way. Then one evening turns into a few evenings, etc etc.
There is great banter between the characters and also lots of humor. I love Nik's backstory, which holds up his reason for being so staunchly non-committal in the first place. There are also great secondary characters. This is 100% totally a typical Sarah Morgan romance which I LOVE. The way these two meet is super-cute and funny, and I love the way the other Puffin Island Series main characters have small places in the story.
A note on the romance: There is mention in other reviews of cheating. As the story begins, Lily has just ended a romantic relationship in which she loved the guy very much, but found out that he was married and had children. She was firmly against his cheating, so she ended that relationship before this story begins. That is what makes her want the rebound sex-because she feels like she fell too easily for the wrong type of guy. Lily believes in love and family, and in NOT cheating.
Lily is eternally optimistic and believes in a fairy-tale type of love; Nik is one of those grouchy non-committal types. After having her heart broken, Lily convinces Nik to have a no-strings-attached evening of "rebound sex" except they both have trouble following their own rules and allow their feelings get in the way. Then one evening turns into a few evenings, etc etc.
There is great banter between the characters and also lots of humor. I love Nik's backstory, which holds up his reason for being so staunchly non-committal in the first place. There are also great secondary characters. This is 100% totally a typical Sarah Morgan romance which I LOVE. The way these two meet is super-cute and funny, and I love the way the other Puffin Island Series main characters have small places in the story.
A note on the romance: There is mention in other reviews of cheating. As the story begins, Lily has just ended a romantic relationship in which she loved the guy very much, but found out that he was married and had children. She was firmly against his cheating, so she ended that relationship before this story begins. That is what makes her want the rebound sex-because she feels like she fell too easily for the wrong type of guy. Lily believes in love and family, and in NOT cheating.
March 10, 2015
PLAYING BY THE GREEK’S RULES by author Sarah Morgan is a Harlequin Presents series release for February 2015.
By an accident Nic Zervakis comes home and finds a naked Lily Rose in his shower. But alas he was not alone, he had a date with him. And this said date got all affronted when she saw Lily in Nic’s shower, and walked off.
Now without a date, Nic takes Lily to the event he had to go. Lily is an archaeologist so Nik knew he would need her expertise at the event. But the chemistry between them rockets off the scale. And they end up in bed together.
Nic doesn’t do love or commitment and Lily wanted a fling. Would it work to both their advantage?
PLAYING BY THE GREEK’S RULES is full of shimmering sensuality and is an emotional roller-coaster of a read. The chemistry between Lily and Nic is palpable. And the emotional intensity in the story would move a reader to tears many times and there are laugh out loud moments as well. The dialogue is fast and witty. A reader would stay hooked to the pages from start to end.
Highly recommended to all readers of romance.
By an accident Nic Zervakis comes home and finds a naked Lily Rose in his shower. But alas he was not alone, he had a date with him. And this said date got all affronted when she saw Lily in Nic’s shower, and walked off.
Now without a date, Nic takes Lily to the event he had to go. Lily is an archaeologist so Nik knew he would need her expertise at the event. But the chemistry between them rockets off the scale. And they end up in bed together.
Nic doesn’t do love or commitment and Lily wanted a fling. Would it work to both their advantage?
PLAYING BY THE GREEK’S RULES is full of shimmering sensuality and is an emotional roller-coaster of a read. The chemistry between Lily and Nic is palpable. And the emotional intensity in the story would move a reader to tears many times and there are laugh out loud moments as well. The dialogue is fast and witty. A reader would stay hooked to the pages from start to end.
Highly recommended to all readers of romance.
November 16, 2015
2.5 stars
I think I need to stick with Morgan's full length series instead of her series-romance ones. I thought the 'opposite' of Lily's shiny attitude vs Nik's surly one and the whole Lily wants family, family is important, versus Nik thinks marriage is cr*p were a bit too blatant for my taste. I like my things more subtle than that. Also Nik changes his stance to true love way too fast, I got whiplash.
There WERE some cute moments, I smiled sometimes reading the diatribe of words that came out of Lily's mouth. However, as a whole, I totally thought that this didn't match the joy I read from reading her full-length Puffin Islands books. This was a MEH read for me.
I think I need to stick with Morgan's full length series instead of her series-romance ones. I thought the 'opposite' of Lily's shiny attitude vs Nik's surly one and the whole Lily wants family, family is important, versus Nik thinks marriage is cr*p were a bit too blatant for my taste. I like my things more subtle than that. Also Nik changes his stance to true love way too fast, I got whiplash.
There WERE some cute moments, I smiled sometimes reading the diatribe of words that came out of Lily's mouth. However, as a whole, I totally thought that this didn't match the joy I read from reading her full-length Puffin Islands books. This was a MEH read for me.
August 14, 2021
Very non-HP, very low angst. This was really cute. The heroine is adorable, and the hero is immediately smitten.
3.5 rounding up, the negative reviews because she unwittingly was involved with a married man… she has no clue—I’m a bit put off by the safety gang calling it a cheating book.
3.5 rounding up, the negative reviews because she unwittingly was involved with a married man… she has no clue—I’m a bit put off by the safety gang calling it a cheating book.
April 13, 2018
****4.5 Stars**** Hear Ye, Hear Ye Read All About It!!! (If you don't you'll be missing something special.)
Okay ladies...get your dose of a great love story right here. This book is super and one I will definitely read again and again. The only reason I marked it down half a star is because our hero was such a man-whore but never touched another woman after meeting 'the one'. He had his rules...no emotions! no feelings! no relationships! no marriage or children ever!...and usually no women more than once or if she's lucky twice! It was all about the sex which he will confidently tell you that he is quite excellent at. On top of being a super read it was also hilarious in places. I laughed so hard I guffawed.
Our heroine, Lily, was raised in foster homes and has no family. She was never adopted because she was ill as a child. She longs to be part of a family but gets along fine on her own with the addition of a couple good friendships. She is an archaeologist in Greece on the Isle of Crete working on an important dig for Minoan artifacts. When the story begins she has just found out the guy she had 'fallen in love' with is married with three children. Unfortunately, the slug accidentally pulled out a picture of his family thinking it was his credit card. Oops! You see, Lily doesn't believe in casual sex. She has to fall in love first with the sexual relationship following close behind. Lily has a lot of college loans to pay off and the job she's working on doesn't pay enough for her to live on and pay her debt. She has taken a part-time job as a house cleaner in the evenings to earn extra money to pay off her education debts. One day she is called on an emergency cleaning gig in a massive home. Lily is not very tech savvy...and she has a complicated huge shower to clean. There are so many buttons to push that she has no idea which one will rinse the shower of the cleanser she used to scrub it clean. She accidentally pushes the wrong button and ends up soaking wet. She can't walk through the house with her clothes saturated and dripping so she strips to her underware as she is trying to wipe up the small flood in the bathroom.
It is then she realizes she has company, a very angry woman who demands to know who she is and what she's doing here. A gorgeous man, Nik, who is not only panty-melting beautiful and wealthy but every woman's fantasy looks into the bathroom to see what the woman he is escorting to dinner and an opening at the local museum is going on about. Nik does not intervene with Lily's reply to the woman when she tries to explain that she is the cleaner and got wet. The woman storms out believing Lily was his leftover sex-mate from the previous night. He then demands Lily attend the museum exhibit opening with him and go to dinner as a stand in for the woman who just walked out.
Since Lily has had no luck in love she had decided that very day to give rebound sex a go...with no emotion or relationship involved. She wants to learn how to disassociate sex and love and she needs the practice. It doesn't take her long to realize that Nik, the man-whore, would be the perfect teacher. He is very reluctant to bed her because he already knows she isn't the one-night-stand kind of young woman and that's all he ever does. She insists repeatedly that she can do this and withhold emotions or desires of going further with him. Nik tries to resist her but simply can't. He is so attracted to her.
He is shocked to discover that his night with her is the best night he has ever spent in bed with a woman and she is completely blown away by him and the power of their connection. Nik has a few good reasons why he doesn't do emotions and relationships but his thinking is skewed. So he decided years ago that sex-only hook-ups were all he would do. Nik received a phone call in the morning and was shocked to find out Lily left without saying goodbye while he was talking with his father.
I definitely recommend this book and I will continue with this series. Although hero was a major man-whore, he was never with anyone else from the day he met Lily.
Okay ladies...get your dose of a great love story right here. This book is super and one I will definitely read again and again. The only reason I marked it down half a star is because our hero was such a man-whore but never touched another woman after meeting 'the one'. He had his rules...no emotions! no feelings! no relationships! no marriage or children ever!...and usually no women more than once or if she's lucky twice! It was all about the sex which he will confidently tell you that he is quite excellent at. On top of being a super read it was also hilarious in places. I laughed so hard I guffawed.
Our heroine, Lily, was raised in foster homes and has no family. She was never adopted because she was ill as a child. She longs to be part of a family but gets along fine on her own with the addition of a couple good friendships. She is an archaeologist in Greece on the Isle of Crete working on an important dig for Minoan artifacts. When the story begins she has just found out the guy she had 'fallen in love' with is married with three children. Unfortunately, the slug accidentally pulled out a picture of his family thinking it was his credit card. Oops! You see, Lily doesn't believe in casual sex. She has to fall in love first with the sexual relationship following close behind. Lily has a lot of college loans to pay off and the job she's working on doesn't pay enough for her to live on and pay her debt. She has taken a part-time job as a house cleaner in the evenings to earn extra money to pay off her education debts. One day she is called on an emergency cleaning gig in a massive home. Lily is not very tech savvy...and she has a complicated huge shower to clean. There are so many buttons to push that she has no idea which one will rinse the shower of the cleanser she used to scrub it clean. She accidentally pushes the wrong button and ends up soaking wet. She can't walk through the house with her clothes saturated and dripping so she strips to her underware as she is trying to wipe up the small flood in the bathroom.
It is then she realizes she has company, a very angry woman who demands to know who she is and what she's doing here. A gorgeous man, Nik, who is not only panty-melting beautiful and wealthy but every woman's fantasy looks into the bathroom to see what the woman he is escorting to dinner and an opening at the local museum is going on about. Nik does not intervene with Lily's reply to the woman when she tries to explain that she is the cleaner and got wet. The woman storms out believing Lily was his leftover sex-mate from the previous night. He then demands Lily attend the museum exhibit opening with him and go to dinner as a stand in for the woman who just walked out.
Since Lily has had no luck in love she had decided that very day to give rebound sex a go...with no emotion or relationship involved. She wants to learn how to disassociate sex and love and she needs the practice. It doesn't take her long to realize that Nik, the man-whore, would be the perfect teacher. He is very reluctant to bed her because he already knows she isn't the one-night-stand kind of young woman and that's all he ever does. She insists repeatedly that she can do this and withhold emotions or desires of going further with him. Nik tries to resist her but simply can't. He is so attracted to her.
He is shocked to discover that his night with her is the best night he has ever spent in bed with a woman and she is completely blown away by him and the power of their connection. Nik has a few good reasons why he doesn't do emotions and relationships but his thinking is skewed. So he decided years ago that sex-only hook-ups were all he would do. Nik received a phone call in the morning and was shocked to find out Lily left without saying goodbye while he was talking with his father.
I definitely recommend this book and I will continue with this series. Although hero was a major man-whore, he was never with anyone else from the day he met Lily.
January 1, 2015
Lily Rose is the type of woman who believes in love, and in making sure the man she falls in love with ticks all the boxes on her " perfect man " list. But then she makes an error in judgement and instead get's her heart broken.
Her best friend suggests she take life a little less seriously and instead go with just red hot sex and not all the mussy gooey love stuff. Lily being a very in touch with her feelings gal at first says no to the entire idea, but then she ends up sopping wet in the shower of no other than her boss, Nik Zervakis.
And she knows he is the complete opposite of her "perfect man " list, he's cold, detached at all times, in control and best of all she's 100 % sure the man will be dynamite in bed, after all he's able to turn her into a quivering pool of lust with a mere look.
They strike a deal, they will use each other for sex and nothing more, just one night of red hot out of control unbridled sex, then walk away as if it never happened. But the next morning a phone call extends their time together and it's a one way street for wild crazy sexy nights, just for a few more days they can enjoy each other's bodies, no big deal. Then the rules of the deal change and their wolds are turned up side down.
I really love reading books by this author, I always feel as if I am being enchanted into a world I never want to leave, but I always find a way or a new book to move on and let go of the characters, this time around am not sure I will be able to. Nik and Lily will definitely be with me till my last dying breath.
They were both the type of characters that leap from the pages immediately. Nik with his suave and arrogant charm, hiding behind power the pain from his past , and Lily with her always happy sunshine smile everywhere she goes.
The plot was one any author can dream up , but not every author can pull it all together quite like Sarah Morgan. Every line written was pure, raw writing brilliance. I felt every emotion and with each change blossoming in the characters I felt it, really felt it.
And the ending played out perfectly, not the " Awh, that's a nice ending", or " Okay not a bad ending, liked it about 50% " or even " Great ending but the not the twist I really wanted", no the ending played out exactly how I wanted it, and I am definitely sure each and every reader who picks up this book will agree with me wholeheartedly, it could not have been done with more perfection.
I am taking away a message from each of the characters, through Nik I was shown just to what lengths anyone can and will go to protect themselves against hurt. And through Lily the author showed that no matter who we are or which background we come from, or what we have been through there is always someone who needs the sunshine that lives in all of us.
I highly recommend this read, it was sensual, crazy sexy, passionate, captivating and highly entertaining. Sarah has delivered another all round feel good red hot romance.
5/5 star review
" They play by the rules, but what happens when the rules are broken?"
Her best friend suggests she take life a little less seriously and instead go with just red hot sex and not all the mussy gooey love stuff. Lily being a very in touch with her feelings gal at first says no to the entire idea, but then she ends up sopping wet in the shower of no other than her boss, Nik Zervakis.
And she knows he is the complete opposite of her "perfect man " list, he's cold, detached at all times, in control and best of all she's 100 % sure the man will be dynamite in bed, after all he's able to turn her into a quivering pool of lust with a mere look.
They strike a deal, they will use each other for sex and nothing more, just one night of red hot out of control unbridled sex, then walk away as if it never happened. But the next morning a phone call extends their time together and it's a one way street for wild crazy sexy nights, just for a few more days they can enjoy each other's bodies, no big deal. Then the rules of the deal change and their wolds are turned up side down.
I really love reading books by this author, I always feel as if I am being enchanted into a world I never want to leave, but I always find a way or a new book to move on and let go of the characters, this time around am not sure I will be able to. Nik and Lily will definitely be with me till my last dying breath.
They were both the type of characters that leap from the pages immediately. Nik with his suave and arrogant charm, hiding behind power the pain from his past , and Lily with her always happy sunshine smile everywhere she goes.
The plot was one any author can dream up , but not every author can pull it all together quite like Sarah Morgan. Every line written was pure, raw writing brilliance. I felt every emotion and with each change blossoming in the characters I felt it, really felt it.
And the ending played out perfectly, not the " Awh, that's a nice ending", or " Okay not a bad ending, liked it about 50% " or even " Great ending but the not the twist I really wanted", no the ending played out exactly how I wanted it, and I am definitely sure each and every reader who picks up this book will agree with me wholeheartedly, it could not have been done with more perfection.
I am taking away a message from each of the characters, through Nik I was shown just to what lengths anyone can and will go to protect themselves against hurt. And through Lily the author showed that no matter who we are or which background we come from, or what we have been through there is always someone who needs the sunshine that lives in all of us.
I highly recommend this read, it was sensual, crazy sexy, passionate, captivating and highly entertaining. Sarah has delivered another all round feel good red hot romance.
5/5 star review
" They play by the rules, but what happens when the rules are broken?"
February 1, 2015
*4-4.5* I haven't read a good HP in a while. They tend to be my guilty pleasure reads because they always have a formula I can expect. With this new offering from Sarah Morgan, the familiar trope of the Greek millionaire is still there with a heroine who is not his usual type. But this read more like a contemporary romance than old-style Harlequin.
What happens when a hard-boiled cynic meets the eternal optimist? Sparks fly ... and let the witty banter begin.
"Your cynicism is deeply depressing."
Your optimism is deeply concerning."
:)
Both Nik and Lily are very likable. Their first encounter was very entertaining and so is the rest of their sparring.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series.
What happens when a hard-boiled cynic meets the eternal optimist? Sparks fly ... and let the witty banter begin.
"Your cynicism is deeply depressing."
Your optimism is deeply concerning."
:)
Both Nik and Lily are very likable. Their first encounter was very entertaining and so is the rest of their sparring.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series.
November 21, 2021
Lilė - romantikė, optimistė, kad ir kiek gyvenimas vanojo jai šonus ( o likimas jai buvo išties negailestingas) , ji neprarado tikėjimo gėriu, meile, tiesiog spinduliuote spinduliavo teigiamą energiją. Nikas - besislepiantis po šaltumo ir abejingumo kauke, netikintis santykiais ir meile, jam rūpi tik jo verslas ir seksas, ir to jis neslepia. Netikėtai jie susitinka ir sudaro "vienos nakties" sandėrį, ir tuomet linksmybės prasideda🙂 tai tikrų tikriausia šabloninė knyga, kai paprasta mergina susideda su turtuoliu mergišiumi, bet man susiskaitė labai smagiai. Poroj vietų jau buvo per daug saldu, tačiau viską kompensavo vis ironizuojantis Lilės personažas.
February 7, 2015
Probably 3.5
One thing I really love about Sarah Morgan's Presents is they stick with me after reading them. Maybe not forever or even a long time, but, after I finish the book, I'm still in that world for a while.
And this one was a really nice way to introduce her new trilogy a little.
I did think the hero's transformation to believing in truuuuuuue love wasn't too well done. It wasn't really that it was too fast (though it was), but that it seemed too easy and practically off screen. One conversation with his father and his lifelong beliefs changed? If only it were that easy . . . .
One thing I really love about Sarah Morgan's Presents is they stick with me after reading them. Maybe not forever or even a long time, but, after I finish the book, I'm still in that world for a while.
And this one was a really nice way to introduce her new trilogy a little.
I did think the hero's transformation to believing in truuuuuuue love wasn't too well done. It wasn't really that it was too fast (though it was), but that it seemed too easy and practically off screen. One conversation with his father and his lifelong beliefs changed? If only it were that easy . . . .
July 1, 2019
The story of Lily and Nik, a romantic and a pragmatist, who find everything they didn't think they needed in one another.
Lily has had her heart broken once again and is on a mission to change her approach to relationships. In order to do that, she wants to have rebound sex where she doesn't get emotionally involved.
Nik doesn't do relationships and does not believe in romantic love, .
The two meet when .
They were only supposed to spend one night together, but things don't go as planned and although they are complete opposites in how they see relationships and believe they're completely wrong for one another, they end up discovering that they might be just right together.
An enjoyable story about two opposites attracting, with a satisfying happy ending.
This book introduces Brittany and her Castaway Cottage in Puffin island, where the next book in the series, First Time in Forever, takes place.
Lily has had her heart broken once again and is on a mission to change her approach to relationships. In order to do that, she wants to have rebound sex where she doesn't get emotionally involved.
Nik doesn't do relationships and does not believe in romantic love, .
The two meet when .
They were only supposed to spend one night together, but things don't go as planned and although they are complete opposites in how they see relationships and believe they're completely wrong for one another, they end up discovering that they might be just right together.
An enjoyable story about two opposites attracting, with a satisfying happy ending.
This book introduces Brittany and her Castaway Cottage in Puffin island, where the next book in the series, First Time in Forever, takes place.
June 30, 2021
I liked it but would have loved a longer epilogue!!
February 23, 2015
Favorite Quote: “As a matter of interest, what is your goal in relationships?”
“Orgasm.” He gave her a slow smile and she felt herself turn scarlet.
I’m very excited for the start of Sarah Morgan’s new Puffin Island series – book one, First Time in Forever will release next week. We get a tiny peek at a future heroine in this book as she is a side character. The main couple however are Lily and Nik. Lily has three criteria for a guy: He has to be affectionate, he has to be honest, and he has to have strong family values. These are three things Nik doesn’t have – but that’s okay because Lily wants rebound sex. After falling for a guy and then realizing he was married, she is pretty devastated to not have caught on sooner. Lily has a big, big heart and wears it on her sleeve. Working in Greece primarily as an archaeologist, she also has huge college loans to pay off so she also cleans houses at night and works as a paid intern for Nik’s company. Unknown to Lily, Nik also owns the villa Lily is cleaning. One day when she can’t figure out how to turn on or off his modern shower, and gets all wet guess who unexpectedly comes home….oops.
Nik needs a date to a museum opening that night, and decides the quirky Lily is coming with him. Lily is an open-book, and this intrigues and amuses Nik. After she tells him she wants sex – rebound sex – no strings attached sex – and of course, this is what Nik specializes in, he takes her home. But Nik starts to have…wait for it…feelings! Gasp!
This is cute, fun book but I’m not sure I ever really feel the chemistry between Nik and Lily. They are opposites for sure – Nik being so controlled and intense and Lily being so open and honest and big-hearted. Lily cares about everyone and the people in their life. She immediately starts to question Nik about his family and why he isn’t close with them.
“I don’t know why you’re so freaked out by tears. It’s not as if I was expecting you to hug me. I’ve taught myself to self-soothe.”
“Self-soothe?” Some of the tension left him. “You hug yourself?”
“It’s important to be independent.”
She made me giggle a few times but she is also a lot to take. I like opposites attract, but I needed more reasons why Nik falls for her and Lily falls for him. I’m not sure I was totally convinced of their love.
However, I’m ready for Sarah Morgan’s Puffin Island series.
Rating: C+
“Orgasm.” He gave her a slow smile and she felt herself turn scarlet.
I’m very excited for the start of Sarah Morgan’s new Puffin Island series – book one, First Time in Forever will release next week. We get a tiny peek at a future heroine in this book as she is a side character. The main couple however are Lily and Nik. Lily has three criteria for a guy: He has to be affectionate, he has to be honest, and he has to have strong family values. These are three things Nik doesn’t have – but that’s okay because Lily wants rebound sex. After falling for a guy and then realizing he was married, she is pretty devastated to not have caught on sooner. Lily has a big, big heart and wears it on her sleeve. Working in Greece primarily as an archaeologist, she also has huge college loans to pay off so she also cleans houses at night and works as a paid intern for Nik’s company. Unknown to Lily, Nik also owns the villa Lily is cleaning. One day when she can’t figure out how to turn on or off his modern shower, and gets all wet guess who unexpectedly comes home….oops.
Nik needs a date to a museum opening that night, and decides the quirky Lily is coming with him. Lily is an open-book, and this intrigues and amuses Nik. After she tells him she wants sex – rebound sex – no strings attached sex – and of course, this is what Nik specializes in, he takes her home. But Nik starts to have…wait for it…feelings! Gasp!
This is cute, fun book but I’m not sure I ever really feel the chemistry between Nik and Lily. They are opposites for sure – Nik being so controlled and intense and Lily being so open and honest and big-hearted. Lily cares about everyone and the people in their life. She immediately starts to question Nik about his family and why he isn’t close with them.
“I don’t know why you’re so freaked out by tears. It’s not as if I was expecting you to hug me. I’ve taught myself to self-soothe.”
“Self-soothe?” Some of the tension left him. “You hug yourself?”
“It’s important to be independent.”
She made me giggle a few times but she is also a lot to take. I like opposites attract, but I needed more reasons why Nik falls for her and Lily falls for him. I’m not sure I was totally convinced of their love.
However, I’m ready for Sarah Morgan’s Puffin Island series.
Rating: C+
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