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Mistress of Convenience
Suzy has never been called a security risk before--but Colonel Lucas Soames insists she is! And to safeguard his mission, the tough security millionaire forces her to pose as his mistress! In a luxurious Italian villa she is kept under twenty-four-hour surveillance, and it isn't long before desire reaches boiling point. Now Lucas gives himself a new set of orders: make Suzy his mistress for real!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 14, 2012
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,147 books676 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 8, 2020
Heroine is a reluctant trainee journalist who is pushed by her photographer to distract the security expert hero so he can get a photo. Heroine is drawn to kiss the hero rather than talk or shake hands or spill a drink on him. Their kiss is explosive as only a PJ love-at-first-sight kiss can be. Hero is on to the heroine – she is a slut and an opportunist – and they don’t get the photo.
Heroine gives up the job (of course) and loses weight (of course), but she is destined to see the hero, her soul mate again (of course).
She is given a stay at an exclusive resort and is caught by the hero taking pictures of a neighboring villa he is guarding. Since he thinks she will be in contact with her paper, he demands she stay with him, posing as his girlfriend, until the VIP’s business is finished.
They end up having sex (heroine was a virgin). Heroine fills her time befriending the VIP's children and giving the hero that wrong idea. It is only when she is in a near-death situation that the hero is honest with his feelings for an HEA.
This is an okay PJ story. The over reliance on sex scenes for the emotional core really doesn’t work since PJ loves her purple prose and lapses into to telling and not showing. The scenes with the children were the most interesting and seemed the most natural, imo.
Heroine gives up the job (of course) and loses weight (of course), but she is destined to see the hero, her soul mate again (of course).
She is given a stay at an exclusive resort and is caught by the hero taking pictures of a neighboring villa he is guarding. Since he thinks she will be in contact with her paper, he demands she stay with him, posing as his girlfriend, until the VIP’s business is finished.
They end up having sex (heroine was a virgin). Heroine fills her time befriending the VIP's children and giving the hero that wrong idea. It is only when she is in a near-death situation that the hero is honest with his feelings for an HEA.
This is an okay PJ story. The over reliance on sex scenes for the emotional core really doesn’t work since PJ loves her purple prose and lapses into to telling and not showing. The scenes with the children were the most interesting and seemed the most natural, imo.
June 9, 2020
4.5 stars
The heroine's meet-cute with the hero made me smile. Let's just say this first meeting didn't go well for sweet Suzy at all, setting the tone for their future interactions.
Lucas, an ex-Special Forces commando, was a throwback to the red-hot heroes the author specialized in. Although he's quite alpha, Lucas was also a compassionate and sensitive hero. He left the army because he could no longer tolerate the trauma of war and therefore be an effective soldier. Lucas and Suzy fell in love at first sight, but their journey to the HEA was hampered by Lucas's misconceptions of Suzy and his denial of his romantic feelings.
Suzy, meanwhile, was more cognizant of her feelings and always honest with herself and Lucas. I loved how she bravely declared her love without expecting anything in return, and after discovering Lucas had basically spied on her, to determine if she was spying, how she didn't go batshit. She calmly accepted that he'd conducted it because it'd been his job to ensure she wasn't a security threat. I liked Suzy a lot for her virtue, bravery, and big heart. These two were well-matched, and I adored their sexy and fun romance!
The heroine's meet-cute with the hero made me smile. Let's just say this first meeting didn't go well for sweet Suzy at all, setting the tone for their future interactions.
Lucas, an ex-Special Forces commando, was a throwback to the red-hot heroes the author specialized in. Although he's quite alpha, Lucas was also a compassionate and sensitive hero. He left the army because he could no longer tolerate the trauma of war and therefore be an effective soldier. Lucas and Suzy fell in love at first sight, but their journey to the HEA was hampered by Lucas's misconceptions of Suzy and his denial of his romantic feelings.
Suzy, meanwhile, was more cognizant of her feelings and always honest with herself and Lucas. I loved how she bravely declared her love without expecting anything in return, and after discovering Lucas had basically spied on her, to determine if she was spying, how she didn't go batshit. She calmly accepted that he'd conducted it because it'd been his job to ensure she wasn't a security threat. I liked Suzy a lot for her virtue, bravery, and big heart. These two were well-matched, and I adored their sexy and fun romance!
January 21, 2016
Esta es una de las primeras que leí de PJ y me gustó mucho el hecho de que la heroína fuera quien buscara (y un poco acosara) al héroe lleno de principios y tan reprimido. Las escenas con tensión sexual son muy buenas y aunque ella no es virgen, tampoco cuenta su historial de amantes ni aparenta ser demasiado zorr4 xD. Su tanga de lacitos es una inspiración, ahaha. Es una de mis preferidas de esta autora ^_^.
May 9, 2019
I finished this book with a deep, heartfelt sigh.
I love Penny Jordan’s books and it felt nostalgic reading this one. It is a quintessential PJ book.
The overbearing, ultra masculine hero. The sweet, kind, innocent heroine. The drama, drama, drama! It would make a lovely soap opera episode.
It was a delightful read imho. And one that I will probably read again.
I love Penny Jordan’s books and it felt nostalgic reading this one. It is a quintessential PJ book.
The overbearing, ultra masculine hero. The sweet, kind, innocent heroine. The drama, drama, drama! It would make a lovely soap opera episode.
It was a delightful read imho. And one that I will probably read again.
September 4, 2012
I have to admit this one was super great. I enjoyed connecting with the hero and heroine. I thought the hero was a bit of an idiot though thinking that a near death experience would change the love the heroine felt for him. Other than that, this novel had one of the sweetest endings possible!
September 17, 2013
Another night shift and I'm passing the time with another Penny Jordan romance - this one marked a real return to form, I felt, and illustrated quite clearly just why Jordan was one of M&B's most popular authors.
This time the story concerns Suzy, a classic Jordan heroine in that she's everything we would all like to be: beautiful, vulnerable, kind, but with a feisty side. It starts off featuring her in her new role as a reporter for the fantastically named "Down and Dirty" magazine. Obviously, our heroine is too kind to enjoy her job much; in fact, we quickly learn she's only taken it because her university professor recommended her for the job after she had to take time out to nurse her sick mother. The duties of the job go very much against the grain and when she's asked to "distract" Lucas Soames, she ends up kissing him and pretty much falling in love with him on the spot. And let's face it, who could blame her? Lucas is a fabulous Jordan hero - tall, dark and handsome with just the right amount of stern forbidding allure and smouldering sexiness. I almost fell in love with him myself (but it was three in the morning, I had a cold starting and I was at a particularly low ebb - who wouldn't want some escapism in such circumstances?)
Lucas ("Luke") is a security professional and despite enjoying kissing Suzy, he dismisses her as a heartless reporter. Six months later and Suzy is on her jollies in Italy after giving her crappy job the boot. Luke is in the same place protecting a government official and his family - he spots Suzy and not wanting her to jeopardise his mission and believing she is still a reporter who will place security at risk, he effectively kidnaps her and holds her hostage in an Italian villa. Still, it's a very nice Italian villa and I couldn't help but agree with Suzy in that she did the right thing in entering into the spirit of the occasion and letting herself be abducted into a life of luxury at the hands of her brooding and sexy captor a little too willingly. After all, all she had waiting for her back in England was a job in a supermarket and a line of old ladies waiting at her till.
After that, it's a fait accompli, and we all know how it's going to end (unplanned pregnancy anyone?) However, getting there is a lot of fun. Suzy is brilliant with her denials that she is in love with him/damned if she's going to be forced to share a room with him: "‘Of course you will have your own room,’ he said silkily.
‘However, it will also be my room,’ Luke informed her grimly." (I loved this - who could miss the author's play on words there - how easy is it to go from silkily to sulkily when Luke believes he's not going to get his wicked way with her!) Still, he doesn't has to sulk for long - Suzy, despite all her protestations, gives in pretty much the same night.
So much fun, such good characters, such great sizzling romance - can't recommend this one enough for a fabulous bit of escapism.
This time the story concerns Suzy, a classic Jordan heroine in that she's everything we would all like to be: beautiful, vulnerable, kind, but with a feisty side. It starts off featuring her in her new role as a reporter for the fantastically named "Down and Dirty" magazine. Obviously, our heroine is too kind to enjoy her job much; in fact, we quickly learn she's only taken it because her university professor recommended her for the job after she had to take time out to nurse her sick mother. The duties of the job go very much against the grain and when she's asked to "distract" Lucas Soames, she ends up kissing him and pretty much falling in love with him on the spot. And let's face it, who could blame her? Lucas is a fabulous Jordan hero - tall, dark and handsome with just the right amount of stern forbidding allure and smouldering sexiness. I almost fell in love with him myself (but it was three in the morning, I had a cold starting and I was at a particularly low ebb - who wouldn't want some escapism in such circumstances?)
Lucas ("Luke") is a security professional and despite enjoying kissing Suzy, he dismisses her as a heartless reporter. Six months later and Suzy is on her jollies in Italy after giving her crappy job the boot. Luke is in the same place protecting a government official and his family - he spots Suzy and not wanting her to jeopardise his mission and believing she is still a reporter who will place security at risk, he effectively kidnaps her and holds her hostage in an Italian villa. Still, it's a very nice Italian villa and I couldn't help but agree with Suzy in that she did the right thing in entering into the spirit of the occasion and letting herself be abducted into a life of luxury at the hands of her brooding and sexy captor a little too willingly. After all, all she had waiting for her back in England was a job in a supermarket and a line of old ladies waiting at her till.
After that, it's a fait accompli, and we all know how it's going to end (unplanned pregnancy anyone?) However, getting there is a lot of fun. Suzy is brilliant with her denials that she is in love with him/damned if she's going to be forced to share a room with him: "‘Of course you will have your own room,’ he said silkily.
‘However, it will also be my room,’ Luke informed her grimly." (I loved this - who could miss the author's play on words there - how easy is it to go from silkily to sulkily when Luke believes he's not going to get his wicked way with her!) Still, he doesn't has to sulk for long - Suzy, despite all her protestations, gives in pretty much the same night.
So much fun, such good characters, such great sizzling romance - can't recommend this one enough for a fabulous bit of escapism.
November 7, 2010
this book makes me wish we could give half stars.
June 25, 2014
Suzy never thought she would be a security list. Well now she's being told that she is. Now millionaire Colonel Lucas Soames wants her to pose as his mistress. So she spends her time in a Villa under watch twenty-four hours a day.
Lucas thought he had got what he wanted until he started wanting more. Now he will have to double the stakes.
You really need to read this book just to find out what happens. I loved seeing what these two would do.
Lucas thought he had got what he wanted until he started wanting more. Now he will have to double the stakes.
You really need to read this book just to find out what happens. I loved seeing what these two would do.
January 2, 2020
Příběh je chatrný.
s. 80 Jeho ústa chutnala erotikou, vínem...
A to pil pouze tonik.
s. 29 myslí? Zeptal se
s. 52 látky Vůni
s. 57 Pochopitelně, ty je tady nechceš o nic méně než jejich otec Ne o nic víc?
s. 115, 116 povolání,“ Luke prohlásil
špatné dělení slov - s. 42
s. 80 Jeho ústa chutnala erotikou, vínem...
A to pil pouze tonik.
s. 29 myslí? Zeptal se
s. 52 látky Vůni
s. 57 Pochopitelně, ty je tady nechceš o nic méně než jejich otec Ne o nic víc?
s. 115, 116 povolání,“ Luke prohlásil
špatné dělení slov - s. 42
September 12, 2023
good story but melodramatic
When I was a young teen Penny Jordan was my favorite harlequin author so I still try to read her old books. I’m finding as an adult that they are just too melodramatic and the characters are kind of annoying. This one had a cool story line but the hero was a bit too macho and insensitive and the heroine too much of a pushover.
When I was a young teen Penny Jordan was my favorite harlequin author so I still try to read her old books. I’m finding as an adult that they are just too melodramatic and the characters are kind of annoying. This one had a cool story line but the hero was a bit too macho and insensitive and the heroine too much of a pushover.
March 28, 2021
I love a few of Penny Jordan's novels but not this one. She tells instead of showing us and that makes for a boring read. She adds explicit sex to make the book more interesting but all it does is make it smutty.
March 3, 2022
4.5 stars
I will not deny it ,I love Penny Jordan 's books and this one had a special forces Hero as well , just what I needed at that time in my life *sigh*..Their HEA was just beautiful so was the Epilogue .
I will not deny it ,I love Penny Jordan 's books and this one had a special forces Hero as well , just what I needed at that time in my life *sigh*..Their HEA was just beautiful so was the Epilogue .
August 4, 2024
The love story felt very forced and I didn't believe it. The characters were constantly angry at each other (and not in the cute teasing way!). More like only brief moments of lust and then giving each other the silent treatment. Huh?!?!!!
July 31, 2026
Un classico Harmony con però meno scene hot rispetto a quando li leggevo 30 anni fa.
Una buona trama e dei personaggi tratteggiati anche nelle emozioni. Un buon libro da leggere in 2 ore in spiaggia.
Quindi 4 stelle rispetto al suo essere breve romanzo d’amore
Una buona trama e dei personaggi tratteggiati anche nelle emozioni. Un buon libro da leggere in 2 ore in spiaggia.
Quindi 4 stelle rispetto al suo essere breve romanzo d’amore
March 4, 2019
Επικίνδυνη σαγήνη...
May 8, 2020
Predictable. She could have done a lot more with the main plot line
January 1, 2026
Me arrepiento de haberlo re-leído, me gustó mucho cuando era adolescente, pero realmente cayó mucho de mi gracia.
August 1, 2026
Oh my. Toxic toxic toxic….and too many ‘peaks’
May 3, 2015
Seriously lame premise for a book. Suzy Roberts is fresh out of school and working for a tabloid magazine that focuses on scandal. She is ordered to distract Luke Soames a millionaire bodyguard and is so overcome by desire for him AND certain that he is her soul mate that she walks up kisses him earning his anger.
Six months later, Suzy has been fired by the magazine for not fooling around with the editor. She's on vacation and takes a picture of a villa that just happens to be where Luke is guarding for his next assignment. Thinking she is still a reporter, Luke corners Suzy and threatens to turn her over to the police unless she comes to stay at the Villa and pretends to be his girlfriend.
At this point Suzy shows all the backbone of chocolate éclair and agrees to go with him. I wish I could tell you that she did it as some sort of plot to get her job back or to write an expose or because she realized that she could make Luke look like an idiot by showing up at the dinner table and announcing that he is forcing her to stay at the Villa. Instead, she goes with him because she believes his threat. After that I couldn't find it in myself to like Suzy and her innocent stupidity.
Six months later, Suzy has been fired by the magazine for not fooling around with the editor. She's on vacation and takes a picture of a villa that just happens to be where Luke is guarding for his next assignment. Thinking she is still a reporter, Luke corners Suzy and threatens to turn her over to the police unless she comes to stay at the Villa and pretends to be his girlfriend.
At this point Suzy shows all the backbone of chocolate éclair and agrees to go with him. I wish I could tell you that she did it as some sort of plot to get her job back or to write an expose or because she realized that she could make Luke look like an idiot by showing up at the dinner table and announcing that he is forcing her to stay at the Villa. Instead, she goes with him because she believes his threat. After that I couldn't find it in myself to like Suzy and her innocent stupidity.
January 22, 2014
whoever edited this needs a lesson on punctuation. there were way too many exclamation points and a few questions with no question marks. it was really distracting when trying to read the story.
February 20, 2015
What was with all the exclamation points!!!!!! They are very overwhelming and annoying!!!! I could not get into this story at all.
May 24, 2016
Hard to believe Penny Jordan wrote it....it was so simplistic, formulaic and boring
April 12, 2022
Didn't finish.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews