The Stranger

by Donna Alam

I meet a handsome stranger in a private club in Paris where names are optional and inhibitions strongly discouraged.

One unforgettable night. One spectacularly rude goodbye. There’s no reason our paths should ever cross again until…

I find myself with a temporary nanny job and discover my boss is the same arrogant Frenchman.

Lucien du Beaumont is wealthy, widowed, and deeply infuriating. He has an indecent talent for dirty talk and a smolder that should come with a public health warning. And for some reason he seems to think paying my salary entitles him to the last word.

He’s about to be very disappointed.

He gives orders and I give him hell. Until one argument ends with his mouth on mine and we forget falling out and start making up for lost time instead.

We make an arrangement. A few stolen weeks. No promises. No complications. And absolutely no falling in love. But for a girl who’s spent her life trying to be perfect, being wanted by him begins to feel dangerously close to being enough.

Our summer has an expiry date and our arrangement has rules. And when it’s time to say au revoir, will he give me a reason to stay, or one I’ll never forgive?



The Stranger is standalone romance featuring a brooding billionaire and his accidental nanny. It includes age-gap goodness, hate to love and forced proximity tension, as well as family, laughter, love and a lot of ooh-la-la!

596 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2026

About the author

Donna Alam is a #7 Amazon Kindle store and USA Today bestseller. A writer of love stories with heart, humour, and heat, she aspires to sprinkle a little joy into the lives of her readers. When not bashing away at her keyboard, she can often be found hiding from her responsibilities with a book in her hand and a mop of a dog at her feet.

Hear all the news by joining her newsletter below or pop in and say hello in her private reader group, Donna Alam's Lambs.

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Reviews

[Loreen ☕️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF’d @41%. So dumb and boring.

[Megan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luc and Primrose

Back to the Whittington’s! The youngest has just finished up her doctors degree and is taking the summer off before her job begins. She goes to Paris to travel with her best friend only to find she needs to fill in at her friends job so she won’t lose it while she attends her sick fathers health. Thinking it’s only for a few days she says yes only to find she’ll be working for a man she met partying. So much fun.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always love Donna's stories, rated 4 stars not because of the storyline or characters, but purely on the proof reading! It was littered with mistakes throughout unfortunately.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book. Sadly, it fell short for me. I struggled with the character (mainly looking at you- Primrose) as well as the pacing in the story. Try as I might, I just couldn’t connect with the story.

While this book wasn’t for me- I am sure it will connect with another reader. I appreciate the author and look forward to what she creates next.

[Anna Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great find for Elodie Hart lovers!

I had never read a Donna Alam book and Elodie Hart promoted her latest, "The Stranger," in her newsletter. I really enjoyed it!

⭐ Overall: 4 - Very good, would read this author again
❤️ Attachment: 3

🧠 Characterization: 4 - People, not cardboard tropes ✔️
⚡ Chemistry: 5 - Excellent sexual/romantic electricity
🌶️ Spice: 4. Strong heat integrated with life
😭 Emotional Weight: 3 -Enough feeling without misery
🌍 Immersion: Interconnected-world caveat
Enjoyable world, unfortunate late entry. Promoted as a stand-alone.
😂 Fun/Wit: 4.5, Major strength
📚 Bingeability: 5 Stayed-up-until-1-a.m. certified 😂
🧠✨ Idea Density 2.5 Not what the book is trying to do
🏃 Escapism: 2 Exactly the useful contemporary-distance zone
🔗 Series Pull: Eventually...Interested, not compelled
💭 Future Me: Mood-Specific; Excellent read for the right night

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primrose has just finished becoming a doctor and goes to see her best friend, but her friend wasn't able to get time off. So, her sister's friend spends time with her, and they end up at a spicy party. She gets lost within the party and ends up in a section that racier than the others and just as she is about to leave a stranger stops her. They share a heat moment and don't expect to see each other again. However, when her friend needs help Primrose is there for her. Primrose fills in as a nanny, and this has her running back into her mysterious stranger. Will things get even more complicated? Can this turn into something more?

This is a great story that will hook you in the first pages. This is a well written and very entertaining story. Its a book that any book lover would enjoy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this for Bad Boy Update.

[BP34 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun, this book will keep you laughing and wanting more! After finishing medical school, Primrose takes a break and visits Paris with her best friend.
She was tricked into going to a sex club and that's where she met Luc. Their chemistry was off the charts but their parting was explosive as he had flashbacks of his late wife. Things get interesting when her friend begs her to fill in for her at her nanny job so she can care for her sick father. Things get interesting when she realizes that her friend's boss is Luc. No spoiler here, but things get interesting and it's a sweet love story with an HEA and no cliffhanger. I read a free arc via Bad Boy Updates and voluntarily chose to write a review.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I read this year that was funny and had a love story.

The relationship between Luc and Primrose, what can I say besides it was epic.

This man a widower with 2 children blackmailed Primrose into been a nanny for a month.

Thereafter she go back to London to take up a doc post.

Primrose uses funny words to describe him and what she would do to him.

Having lost his wife who he loved, he could not go tru loss again.

But he fall for Primrose and as much as he loves her he afraid to hold her back from her profession.

If you looking for a good love story with humor this is the one.

[Marion Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

LUC & PRIMROSE’S story cover her lack of self worth and his plausible deniability. Primrose was tricked into attending a sex club and met Luc for the first time. He turned her on and then kicked her out. When Emmy, her best friend begged for her assistance, she reluctantly said yes. What a shock to find out that she was the nanny to Luc's 2 children. Lucien decides to blackmail Primrose to join him, Felix and Sylvie to spend a month in Mallorca. He spends a long time trying to accept him and his sexual overtunes, but when she finally succumbs he backs off.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has a lot going on. Primrose comes to Paris goes to a sex club where she meets Luc and it doesn't end well between them. So imagine her surprise when she goes for the nanny job to save her friend and he is the one in need. The connection starts their path and what a journey it is between the banter and antics I couldn't help but sheer this unlikely couple on to finding their way to happiness. It is a great story with wonderful characters I loved reading about.
I am volunteering to leave a review for an ARC of this book.

[Mindy Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an off limits, billionaire romance between Luc and his temporary nanny, Primrose. These flawed but likeable characters and the unique plot make for an interesting read. What starts out as a one night stand turns into something more. It is a love story with drama and steam, sexual tension and chemistry, and twists and turns, plus appealing secondary characters. Quite a page turner.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Bad Boy Update and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Gina · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

This book was TERRIBLE! Primrose SUCKS! She’s so back and forth and she treats Luc like sh*t! She keeps letting him do stuff to her and then flipping out on him, like it’s his fault! And she’s so stuck on being a prim and proper prude that it all is just a clusterf*ck of nonsense. I really tried. I was at 51% in when I finally called it. I kept holding out because of the great reviews (I have no idea how it got them!). Absolutely awful! If I could give zero stars I would. Such a waste of the limited time I have to read.

[K. Smock · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Primrose has finished medical school and is about to start in the geriatric ward but has a few weeks before her job starts. She goes to meet her best friend, Emmy, in Paris to have a little adventure. What she didn't account for was Emmy's father having a heart attack and her agreeing to act as a stand-alone in nanny for a few days until the agency can send someone new. Emmy is her lifelong friend, and she will do just about anything for though she didn't realize who she was working for when she agreed. This is the start of really good romantic novel with great primary and secondary characters that have you laughing out loud at times and wanting to scream at others.

I voluntarily wrote this review from reading an advanced copy of this book.

[Highland girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!

Donna Alam does it again. It’s an amazing must read. Unfortunately it was so good I read it in one go and now it’s gone but boy what a compelling steamy hot, hilarious and emotional journey full of characters you feel you know as they are so well written and are all so charismatic with the odd exception.
Can’t wait for your next book, Donna.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with her sassy, yet naive personality in this fun, engaging and filled with loads of chemistry story. The immediate attraction between them set the tone for this entertaining drama. The scenes were enjoyable to read showcasing their clashing personalities while finding the line between will they won’t they and straddling it perfectly. A very enjoyable read.

[Christine L · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite from Donna! Luc & Prim are wonderful characters with amazing chemistry and a dynamic relationship. I love an older man, Nanny trope, and this one is exceptional. Their story is dramatic, tense, and passionate. Donna is an excellent writer and storyteller.

[Neil Gislason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Beaumont

This is such a great story! Luc & Prim have a changing and dynamic relationship. Their story is dramatic, emotional, passionate, and heartwarming. Donne has exceptional writing and storytelling skills.

[Shannon Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sexy and swoon

The entire book was written to capture your attention. The world described by Donna is magnificent. Being young and beautiful with a rich man obsessed with you is priceless. Loved this book and the characters. This is a must read!

Thanks for the escape.❤️

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story.

[Ann L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic story and wonderful characters.

Luc and Primrose had great chemistry and I loved Luc even though he blackmailed Primrose.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read.

[Diane Sumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a magnificent read!!!

[Shawna S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always 5 stars for Donna. I loved the story, the main characters, and that it even connected with her other books. I haven’t read them in a while but I need to go back and re-read 💜

[melanie rose mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely read

Hits all the feels and all the spice. Ranks right up there with my all time favorite ‘hot Scot’s
‘ book.

[Jomsey Richardson]

I really enjoyed the pacing of the romance. It was not rushed and there was plenty of tension.