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Man Hunt
She wasn't about to lose him again
Jilly's confession devastated her Aunt Chole. Her allegation that Ben Haskell had tried to seduce her three years ago had been false - as false as Chloe's love for Ben must have seemed when she'd joined family ranks in condemning him, in driving him away.
Chloe had to find Ben again - hunt him down if necessary - and somehow convince him of her love. This time pride coudn't be allowed to stand in the way.
Ben, she knew, might be bitter and unyielding - and who could blame him? As long as he wasn't indifferent...
Jilly's confession devastated her Aunt Chole. Her allegation that Ben Haskell had tried to seduce her three years ago had been false - as false as Chloe's love for Ben must have seemed when she'd joined family ranks in condemning him, in driving him away.
Chloe had to find Ben again - hunt him down if necessary - and somehow convince him of her love. This time pride coudn't be allowed to stand in the way.
Ben, she knew, might be bitter and unyielding - and who could blame him? As long as he wasn't indifferent...
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
About the author
Charlotte Lamb
263 books322 followersSheila Ann Mary Coates Holland
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 15, 2016
I had to check a few times and make sure this was actually a CL book. Then there was mention of Parma ham and melon balls and the h had a croissant, (no cherry jam tho, as the book was set in Venice not France,) and felt a sigh of relief that I was in the right book after all. The biggest drama in the book takes place in the first 15 pages and the H is nowhere around.
The book starts on the wedding day of the h's niece. The h is 26ish and a jazz singer. Three years ago the h fell in love with the H, but the niece (who is a spoilt brat,) said that the H had made inappropriate advances to her 16 year old self. Everybody, including the h, believed her and the H just walked away after the accusation without looking back.
After seeing the H on tv and knowing that she would soon be on her honeymoon, the niece finally confesses that she lied to everyone about the whole thing - she did not want to lose face in front of one of her more experienced school friends, so she told everyone that the H was hitting on her.
The h is devastated and she feels enormously guilty for believing her niece. ( I actually could understand why she did tho, the H and h loved each other but really hadn't been together all that long and did not know each other well. Plus it isn't unheard of that predators pick women who have dependents of their preferred age to get to their prey. Ironically, the niece's accusations would probably be even MORE believed today, with prosecution to boot. CL also makes a point of saying that as far as the h knew, the niece was not a liar, she embellished things but NEVER flat out lied so the h could see no reason not to believe her.)
The h stumbles out of the wedding reception and makes her way to the H's home. She wants to apologize, but is afraid to approach the H. She is slinking in her car when the H appears, he is escorting his father to his car and the h panics. She tries to take off but almost wrecks with another car. The H sees her, pulls her out of the car and takes her into his home. She tries to apologize, but the H rejects her apology and it is pretty obvious he is furiously enraged. Realizing further attempts are hopeless cause the H despises her, the h sadly leaves.
Then the H's dad comes to see her nightclub act. He invites the h to sing at his birthday party and the h's riotous mum tags along to flirt with the other 70 year old men there and the H's dad. The h tries to tempt/talk to the H, but he avoids her as much as possible, then the H's dad offers her a contract performing in his new hotel in Venice for a month. The H will be supervising the opening so the h will get a chance to chase her man, encouraged by the H's dad.
The h gets to Venice and the H is there to meet her. He tries to throw her back to England, but after a punishing kissing session, he decides he doesn't care what she does unless she wants a quick lurve clubbing, and leaves the h to her own devices. The h is miserable, cause she wants the love back not just the club.
CL sorta wrote herself into a corner here, the h is too ashamed and petrified to chase after a man who so obviously hates her and the H is in full despising ignore mode. They are both avoiding each other, so instead we get a guidebook tour of Venice. The h and H have one conversation on a water bus about the h not even questioning the accusations of the niece and the h trying to explain that she was in shock, did not really know him that long or that well, and even tho they were in love at the time, she really had no idea what to believe. The H cuts the conversation short by taking off alone and we are back to the guidebook tour.
Things finally culminate after the h sorta mopes and internal angsts, (but not very dramatically I am afraid, CL really needed to borrow some of Penny Jordan's h's internal angsties, they were much more emo and dire than CL manages, her h's are almost always too pragmatic.)
It is the Fat Tuesday of the Venetian Carnivale and the h is in full period costume complete with mask. She is wandering the streets of Venice prior to her evening singing engagement and the H shows up in the appropriate masculine period attire. They share a dance and a kiss and then the h runs off to her job, thinking the H did not recognize her.
The H shows up for her performance, and she vamps it up by flirting with him during the song and he takes the opportunity to kiss her and then turn her over his knee. The h loses her nerve to continue, and over breakfast the next morning, (with the obligatory CL croissant,) the H calls the h into his office.
Thinking he is going to kick her out of his life forever, the h is very trepidatious, but the H throws caution to the wind and confesses he still loves her. The h is overjoyed, cause she loves him too and while the H is commenting that "We should get to know each other better after the wedding," they get a telegram announcing that her mum and his dad have run off to Bermuda and gotten married.
The H swears to never speak to the lying niece ever again and the h solicits for a big wedding and HEA's are everwhere and happiness rules once again in HPlandia.
Overall this one is relatively mild for CL and yet this book really was a reach for her. The H is not the aggressor in this one, the h is, and CL hasn't figured out how a girl can chase a man and yet remain ladylike. The H was also surprisingly non-domineering in this one. His avoidance tactics for the h were very unlike the usual CL H's straight on til morning and devil take the hindmost trampling of the h that CL usually has her H's do. It was a different sorta CL adventure, and it is not bad - it just wasn't very exciting.
The book starts on the wedding day of the h's niece. The h is 26ish and a jazz singer. Three years ago the h fell in love with the H, but the niece (who is a spoilt brat,) said that the H had made inappropriate advances to her 16 year old self. Everybody, including the h, believed her and the H just walked away after the accusation without looking back.
After seeing the H on tv and knowing that she would soon be on her honeymoon, the niece finally confesses that she lied to everyone about the whole thing - she did not want to lose face in front of one of her more experienced school friends, so she told everyone that the H was hitting on her.
The h is devastated and she feels enormously guilty for believing her niece. ( I actually could understand why she did tho, the H and h loved each other but really hadn't been together all that long and did not know each other well. Plus it isn't unheard of that predators pick women who have dependents of their preferred age to get to their prey. Ironically, the niece's accusations would probably be even MORE believed today, with prosecution to boot. CL also makes a point of saying that as far as the h knew, the niece was not a liar, she embellished things but NEVER flat out lied so the h could see no reason not to believe her.)
The h stumbles out of the wedding reception and makes her way to the H's home. She wants to apologize, but is afraid to approach the H. She is slinking in her car when the H appears, he is escorting his father to his car and the h panics. She tries to take off but almost wrecks with another car. The H sees her, pulls her out of the car and takes her into his home. She tries to apologize, but the H rejects her apology and it is pretty obvious he is furiously enraged. Realizing further attempts are hopeless cause the H despises her, the h sadly leaves.
Then the H's dad comes to see her nightclub act. He invites the h to sing at his birthday party and the h's riotous mum tags along to flirt with the other 70 year old men there and the H's dad. The h tries to tempt/talk to the H, but he avoids her as much as possible, then the H's dad offers her a contract performing in his new hotel in Venice for a month. The H will be supervising the opening so the h will get a chance to chase her man, encouraged by the H's dad.
The h gets to Venice and the H is there to meet her. He tries to throw her back to England, but after a punishing kissing session, he decides he doesn't care what she does unless she wants a quick lurve clubbing, and leaves the h to her own devices. The h is miserable, cause she wants the love back not just the club.
CL sorta wrote herself into a corner here, the h is too ashamed and petrified to chase after a man who so obviously hates her and the H is in full despising ignore mode. They are both avoiding each other, so instead we get a guidebook tour of Venice. The h and H have one conversation on a water bus about the h not even questioning the accusations of the niece and the h trying to explain that she was in shock, did not really know him that long or that well, and even tho they were in love at the time, she really had no idea what to believe. The H cuts the conversation short by taking off alone and we are back to the guidebook tour.
Things finally culminate after the h sorta mopes and internal angsts, (but not very dramatically I am afraid, CL really needed to borrow some of Penny Jordan's h's internal angsties, they were much more emo and dire than CL manages, her h's are almost always too pragmatic.)
It is the Fat Tuesday of the Venetian Carnivale and the h is in full period costume complete with mask. She is wandering the streets of Venice prior to her evening singing engagement and the H shows up in the appropriate masculine period attire. They share a dance and a kiss and then the h runs off to her job, thinking the H did not recognize her.
The H shows up for her performance, and she vamps it up by flirting with him during the song and he takes the opportunity to kiss her and then turn her over his knee. The h loses her nerve to continue, and over breakfast the next morning, (with the obligatory CL croissant,) the H calls the h into his office.
Thinking he is going to kick her out of his life forever, the h is very trepidatious, but the H throws caution to the wind and confesses he still loves her. The h is overjoyed, cause she loves him too and while the H is commenting that "We should get to know each other better after the wedding," they get a telegram announcing that her mum and his dad have run off to Bermuda and gotten married.
The H swears to never speak to the lying niece ever again and the h solicits for a big wedding and HEA's are everwhere and happiness rules once again in HPlandia.
Overall this one is relatively mild for CL and yet this book really was a reach for her. The H is not the aggressor in this one, the h is, and CL hasn't figured out how a girl can chase a man and yet remain ladylike. The H was also surprisingly non-domineering in this one. His avoidance tactics for the h were very unlike the usual CL H's straight on til morning and devil take the hindmost trampling of the h that CL usually has her H's do. It was a different sorta CL adventure, and it is not bad - it just wasn't very exciting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 20, 2011Ben Haskell is proved innocent of statutory rape by his accuser; spends rest of book acting pretty rape-y.
May 11, 2015
this is not CL's usual trope bcoz it was heroine doing all the pursuing instead of hero! ben was distant most of the time but he had great cause. he had been misjudged and condemned by the woman he loved without a second thought and dat was not so easily forgiven. chloe was genuinely helpless at the time bcoz she had to choose between her niece and her boyfriend. i think she made the right choice bcoz she had known her niece all her life and she was just a kid. she did what she had to do in these circumstances.
October 13, 2025
Once again, here's a book that could have been good, had it been written better. As it was, it's just boring.
The h's niece is a real drama queen (and an annoying one at that)! And the h sounds pretty pathetic when she admits that - at 22 - she was jealous of a 16-year-old! She claims that (plus her insecurities) were the reason she believed her niece over the H, more than any loyalty to family ties!
And while I can understand the H walking out of her life (who can blame him?) and, when they meet again and she apologies after learning the truth, it's understandable he didn't accept her apology right away, after a time he started to sound like a martyr, and I think he enjoyed that role!
They both got on my nerves, so I didn't bother to finish the book. Ms. Lamb goofed when she starts the story three years after the fact, Instead, she should have begun it when they first meet, fall in love (a typical HP whirlwind romance), and start thinking about a future together, so you'd already know them as a couple and the lie/mistrust/betrayal/breakup would have had more of an impact.
Instead of stupidity (she was jealous, insecure, didn't believe he really scared, and more of the same nonsense) the h should have been torn between wanting to believe the H but also not wanting to believe her niece would lie about something like that, and her indecision would cause the breakup.
Then, instead of letting three years go by (and have Drama Queen fess up on her wedding day, of all days), the h should have found out sooner, found the H and apologized asked for another chance (which he isn't sure he can give, but doesn't act like he's starring in a melodrama) and then the story focuses on how they find their way back to each other.
Damn it, I should have written so many of these books! (Feel free to call me conceited!)
The h's niece is a real drama queen (and an annoying one at that)! And the h sounds pretty pathetic when she admits that - at 22 - she was jealous of a 16-year-old! She claims that (plus her insecurities) were the reason she believed her niece over the H, more than any loyalty to family ties!
And while I can understand the H walking out of her life (who can blame him?) and, when they meet again and she apologies after learning the truth, it's understandable he didn't accept her apology right away, after a time he started to sound like a martyr, and I think he enjoyed that role!
They both got on my nerves, so I didn't bother to finish the book. Ms. Lamb goofed when she starts the story three years after the fact, Instead, she should have begun it when they first meet, fall in love (a typical HP whirlwind romance), and start thinking about a future together, so you'd already know them as a couple and the lie/mistrust/betrayal/breakup would have had more of an impact.
Instead of stupidity (she was jealous, insecure, didn't believe he really scared, and more of the same nonsense) the h should have been torn between wanting to believe the H but also not wanting to believe her niece would lie about something like that, and her indecision would cause the breakup.
Then, instead of letting three years go by (and have Drama Queen fess up on her wedding day, of all days), the h should have found out sooner, found the H and apologized asked for another chance (which he isn't sure he can give, but doesn't act like he's starring in a melodrama) and then the story focuses on how they find their way back to each other.
Damn it, I should have written so many of these books! (Feel free to call me conceited!)
Want to Read
April 1, 2021Ty
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2022
ayy como me encantan los libros así
February 25, 2026
No me gusto nada, senti toda la historia muy enredada.
Calificación Final: 2 estrellas
Calificación Final: 2 estrellas
September 20, 2019
She wasn't about to lose him again
Jilly's confession devastated her Aunt Chole. Her allegation that Ben Haskell had tried to seduce her three years ago had been false - as false as Chloe's love for Ben must have seemed when she'd joined family ranks in condemning him, in driving him away.
Chloe had to find Ben again - hunt him down if necessary - and somehow convince him of her love. This time pride coudn't be allowed to stand in the way.
Ben, she knew, might be bitter and unyielding - and who could blame him? As long as he wasn't indifferent...
Jilly's confession devastated her Aunt Chole. Her allegation that Ben Haskell had tried to seduce her three years ago had been false - as false as Chloe's love for Ben must have seemed when she'd joined family ranks in condemning him, in driving him away.
Chloe had to find Ben again - hunt him down if necessary - and somehow convince him of her love. This time pride coudn't be allowed to stand in the way.
Ben, she knew, might be bitter and unyielding - and who could blame him? As long as he wasn't indifferent...
October 5, 2016
Ridiculous.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews