What do you think?
Rate this book
Bought: One Island, One Bride
The bartered bride?
Self-made billionaire Alexander Kosta has come to the island of Lefkis for revenge. He will see it destroyed, as it tried to destroy him. However, he hasn't counted on Ellie Mendoras. She's vowed she'll fight the gorgeous Greek tycoon with all her strength.
But there's a dangerous smile on Alexander's lips. As far as he's concerned, Ellie's a little firecracker who needs to be tamed. He'll seduce her into compliance and then buy her body and soul!
Self-made billionaire Alexander Kosta has come to the island of Lefkis for revenge. He will see it destroyed, as it tried to destroy him. However, he hasn't counted on Ellie Mendoras. She's vowed she'll fight the gorgeous Greek tycoon with all her strength.
But there's a dangerous smile on Alexander's lips. As far as he's concerned, Ellie's a little firecracker who needs to be tamed. He'll seduce her into compliance and then buy her body and soul!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 2, 2006
26 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Susan Stephens
750 books133 followersUSA TODAY best-selling author Susan Stephens' books have captivated readers worldwide with over 11 million copies sold. Her work crosses cultures and continents, having been translated into 26 languages and reaching readers in 109 countries. This year marks a milestone as Susan's 100th book is slated for publication.
NEW SERIES!
ACOSTAS RAW Ranchers, rodeo and passion
1. BEAU
2. COLT
3. BLAKE
4. CHRISTMAS WITH ANGEL
BLOOD AND THUNDER
1. ALEXEI
2. DANTE
3. DIEGO
4. CESAR
5. CONNOR .
- BOX SET books. 1-4
6. ELIJAH Coming soon
NEW SERIES!
ACOSTAS RAW Ranchers, rodeo and passion
1. BEAU
2. COLT
3. BLAKE
4. CHRISTMAS WITH ANGEL
BLOOD AND THUNDER
1. ALEXEI
2. DANTE
3. DIEGO
4. CESAR
5. CONNOR .
- BOX SET books. 1-4
6. ELIJAH Coming soon
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 27, 2012
I think this book is the trainwreck to end all trainwrecks.
We have the heroine. When she was young she was raped by a rich old man. He also cut up her face leaving a nasty scar so she'd be ugly and told her that if she ever told anyone no one would believe her. So she never did, except her mother who didn't want to do anything about it because the old man was rich. Now she lives on an island making money taking tourists on boat rides.
We have the hero. He used to be a poor Greek guy living as a fisherman* and was married. His wife was taking care of an old rich guy. The wife was also sleeping with the old rich guy. The hero now wants vengeance against the guy.
So the hero buys the island because the old rich guy of Hero's past used to own it. The islanders are all upset with what the hero wants to do so they nominate the heroine to go tell him what they are thinking and do all the protesting. All the people act happy to his face, so basically the heroine is the fall guy. If she gets him to do what they want, yay, but if not, they don't know her and she was acting on her own.
The hero has an epiphany that since the islanders all love the heroine, if he starts sleeping with her and basically having something of a relationship with her, the islanders will love him vicariously, and he can do whatever he wants with no protest.
The hero is one of those, my life was horrible so I get to do and say anything I want to whoever I want because you should all feel bad for me. He says and does and thinks horrible things about the heroine and despite the fact that she should have slit her wrists in self loathing from the stuff he does to her, she just keeps thinking "he didn't really mean it" and goes right back to him.
And the epitome of badness is the pepper spray incident.
The hero finds out the heroine *who takes tourists out on her boat ALONE to tour the island* has pepper spray in her bag. He freaks out on her for daring to carry it around, and she thinks how she started carrying it after her rape.
That's right, because carrying pepper spray is a big red SIGN around your neck saying "LOOK AT ME, I'M A RAPE VICTIM". And heaven forbid a person just carry pepper spray because they just carry pepper spray. She should have kicked him where it hurts the most, told him where to stick his attitude and thrown him out of her boat in the middle of the ocean while chumming the waters around him.
I just kept reading the book expecting something MORE, but it was more about how horrible the hero's past was then anything about the heroine. I'm sorry, but raped by dirty old man who scarred your face trumps wife sleeping with rich old man any day.
We have the heroine. When she was young she was raped by a rich old man. He also cut up her face leaving a nasty scar so she'd be ugly and told her that if she ever told anyone no one would believe her. So she never did, except her mother who didn't want to do anything about it because the old man was rich. Now she lives on an island making money taking tourists on boat rides.
We have the hero. He used to be a poor Greek guy living as a fisherman* and was married. His wife was taking care of an old rich guy. The wife was also sleeping with the old rich guy. The hero now wants vengeance against the guy.
So the hero buys the island because the old rich guy of Hero's past used to own it. The islanders are all upset with what the hero wants to do so they nominate the heroine to go tell him what they are thinking and do all the protesting. All the people act happy to his face, so basically the heroine is the fall guy. If she gets him to do what they want, yay, but if not, they don't know her and she was acting on her own.
The hero has an epiphany that since the islanders all love the heroine, if he starts sleeping with her and basically having something of a relationship with her, the islanders will love him vicariously, and he can do whatever he wants with no protest.
The hero is one of those, my life was horrible so I get to do and say anything I want to whoever I want because you should all feel bad for me. He says and does and thinks horrible things about the heroine and despite the fact that she should have slit her wrists in self loathing from the stuff he does to her, she just keeps thinking "he didn't really mean it" and goes right back to him.
And the epitome of badness is the pepper spray incident.
The hero finds out the heroine *who takes tourists out on her boat ALONE to tour the island* has pepper spray in her bag. He freaks out on her for daring to carry it around, and she thinks how she started carrying it after her rape.
That's right, because carrying pepper spray is a big red SIGN around your neck saying "LOOK AT ME, I'M A RAPE VICTIM". And heaven forbid a person just carry pepper spray because they just carry pepper spray. She should have kicked him where it hurts the most, told him where to stick his attitude and thrown him out of her boat in the middle of the ocean while chumming the waters around him.
I just kept reading the book expecting something MORE, but it was more about how horrible the hero's past was then anything about the heroine. I'm sorry, but raped by dirty old man who scarred your face trumps wife sleeping with rich old man any day.
October 31, 2013
I thought this was going to be a two-star book, but I was pleasantly surprised. The romance was okay, there was a lot of the past projecting onto the present negatively blahblahblah. But I really appreciated one element in particular. It still wasn't a four star book because there were some tropealicious moments that got to me. Plus I thought the hero kept sticking his head up his ass far too many times for such a supposedly intelligent man. I suppose blue balls'll do that to ya XD. As for the heroine...yeah, she was waaay too self-righteous at more than a few moments, but I still liked her. Overall, good read (though it might trigger people because of the whole plot element), handled a weighty subject with respect (I felt), and I'd definitely read this author again.
August 8, 2018
This was just really poorly written and edited. Not the actual writing itself, but the way the main characters zig-zagged back and forth. In one scene the hero has decided the heroine is a "tart" (and called her that); in the next he has compassionately realized that she has been traumatized by a man in her past and wonders how he can uncover her secrets; in the next he is back to calling her a tart again. He is really verbally abusive during his "macho alpha male jerkface" sections; when they come close on the heels of the "sensitive caring man" sections it just makes him seem like some bizarre sociopath - or, like I said, bad writing and editing. It's not just the usual level of inconsistency, it's like the author didn't care about any kind of emotional progression for the romance. Add in that the heroine's a rape victim - and the hero, at various points after seeming to realize that she had some sort of sex-related trauma, calls her a whore - and you've got a hot mess of a book that really probably shouldn't have been published.
February 2, 2023
Self-made billionaire Alexander Kosta has come to the island of Lefkis for revenge. He will see it destroyed, as it tried to destroy him. However, he hasn't counted on Ellie Mendoras. She's vowed she'll fight the gorgeous Greek tycoon with all her strength.
But there's a dangerous smile on Alexander's lips. As far as he's concerned, Ellie's a little firecracker who needs to be tamed. He'll seduce her into compliance and then buy her body and soul!
A fairly predictable tale of big business taking over a small town and the mixed feelings had by the people on this island. Both characters are damaged by things out of their control and need to let go of the pain in the past to have a happily ever after. Ellie is fighting her painful past and Alexander needs to learn to trust if he is ever to heal. Slowly but steadily, both come to terms with the past to have a happy future.
Yes, it is predictable, but there are some good moments in the story and for that I would say it is a short but fairly good read!
But there's a dangerous smile on Alexander's lips. As far as he's concerned, Ellie's a little firecracker who needs to be tamed. He'll seduce her into compliance and then buy her body and soul!
A fairly predictable tale of big business taking over a small town and the mixed feelings had by the people on this island. Both characters are damaged by things out of their control and need to let go of the pain in the past to have a happily ever after. Ellie is fighting her painful past and Alexander needs to learn to trust if he is ever to heal. Slowly but steadily, both come to terms with the past to have a happy future.
Yes, it is predictable, but there are some good moments in the story and for that I would say it is a short but fairly good read!
March 9, 2024
The hero was so horrible he ruined the whole book. I don't condone cheating but his probably cheated to escape him. I knew from the first chapter that it was going to be a hard to read.The heroine needs therapy and someone better too bad it's Harlequin and the hero is all she'll get. I don't believe the hero loves her and the heroine is too messed up to know what real love is
June 19, 2019
DNF could not get past the first chapter, the man was so horrifying
July 23, 2014
Having stuffed myself nonstop with cheesy, romantic, filter like books for the past two weeks you'd expect that I would be immune to the nonsense that sometimes comes along with the territory. I'm not a hard person to please and I read too much fluff (and actually like it-guilty pleasure). I did not, however, like this book. I actually disliked it quite a lot. It started off alright and I liked the fact that What I absolutely HATE I can go on and on about the terribly sexist nature of the book despite it having a "strong, independent, heroine-like" leading lady---who just rolls over every time he pats her back.
I just feel like this type of attitude undermines the characters persona-and yes, that is with due consideration of her circumstances, actually, that is ESPECIALLY due to that.
I just feel like this type of attitude undermines the characters persona-and yes, that is with due consideration of her circumstances, actually, that is ESPECIALLY due to that.
October 19, 2015
SULL'ISOLA CON IL MILIONARIO di Susan Stephens.
Alexander Kosta ha acquistato l'isola di Lefkis perché torni a prosperare, dopo che il precedente proprietario l'ha ridotta alla miseria. Ma il suo progetto si scontra con la volontà di tutelare le tradizioni locali da parte degli isolani. E la più accesa di questi è la bella Ellie Mendoras...
Alexander Kosta ha acquistato l'isola di Lefkis perché torni a prosperare, dopo che il precedente proprietario l'ha ridotta alla miseria. Ma il suo progetto si scontra con la volontà di tutelare le tradizioni locali da parte degli isolani. E la più accesa di questi è la bella Ellie Mendoras...
September 25, 2009
Modern
July 29, 2014
I struggled to finish the book. Can't say I liked either of the characters. The book bored me. Normally I can finish these in a day or two. Not this one.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews