At Her Boss's Bidding

Secret Passions #3

by Miranda Lee

Ele tinha-a contratado… mas não podia controlá-la!As mulheres costumavam atirar-se para os braços de Justin McCarthy. Era como um imã para todas essas mulheres que se imaginavam a gastar os seus milhões e a aninhar-se junto do seu maravilhoso corpo. Por isso, Rachel era a mulher indicada para ser a sua secretá era inocente, pouco atraente e o mais diferente possível de uma sedutora que pudesse existir. Até que uma mudança de imagem revelou toda a beleza que escondia e Justin começou a querê-la cada vez mais perto dele… vivendo uma paixão selvagem ao seu lado. Mas, quando aconteceu, Justin viu nos olhos de Rachel algo que não tinha previsto. O amor não fazia parte do acordo.

Genres: Romance, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Presents, Contemporary, Harlequin Romance

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published February 1, 2003

About the author

Maureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.

Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.

Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.

Reviews

[seton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third bk in the SECRET PASSIONS trilogy. The H/H from the second bk - The Secret Love-Child - show up quite a bit here. Best story in the trilogy is the second one but that's not saying much. Overall, far from Lee's best series.

This is the story of two losers nice people dumped by their evil exes who get together. One dumpee is fine but two makes for a whiny story IMO.

Grade: B-

Tropes: Makeover, Boss/Secretary

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was kind of surprised that I never read this novel before. It was definitely a decent read. I didn't like how rushed the ending was. I would of preferred it to be much more romantic.

[Vintage · Rating 1 out of 5]

Frankly it was boring.

A paint by the numbers story.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read this several times now... liked everything except the very rushed ending. That was a bummer. Really enjoyed the inclusion of Rafe and Isabel from The Secret Love-Child.

[Hemavathy DM Suppiah-Devi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a fun little read. Justin and Rachel are two very relatable characters, and it was refreshing to have a leading man who isn't a sex maniac or a multi millionaire or walking around all the time like an emo Mr Rochester. Justin is a decent man who works hard, respects women, and for a change treats his staff like human beings. He's also recovering from a bitter divorce, having been dumped by his ex-wife for a wealthier partner. Rachel has spent the last four years taking care of her foster mother, and recovering from being jilted at the altar. The story becomes a little predictable once they go on the trip, and of course there's the usual plot devices of a makeover and pretending to be lovers to make the exes jealous. Alls well that ends well though. Lee.is a very funny writer, and made this book very enjoyable. The only part I didn't like is the revelation that Rafe doctored the condoms on purpose to get Isabel pregnant. There's nothing romantic about that, it's sexual assault. And that is why I have to downgrade this book from a 5, to a 3.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

At Her Boss’s Bidding is the 63rd romance novel by Miranda Lee and the third of the Secret Passions series. When Rachel Witherspoon, Isabel Hunt’s best friend since school days, takes a job as Justin McCarthy’s PA, she purposely dresses down because she knows he’s sick of man-hunters throwing themselves at him. All goes well until they go together on a work-related excursion to a 5-star Gold Coast Hotel. There, Rachel runs into her ex-fiancé, Eric, the man who left her for a real-estate agent. Suddenly vulnerable, Rachel is given the support she needs by Justin, and he sends her for a make-over to prove to Eric that he’s the loser, not Rachel. But after a few drinks, Justin finds himself seducing his new PA, exactly the thing he was so disgusted with his ex-wife and her boss over. While some of the characters lack depth, the plot is quite good and it is another enjoyable romance from Miranda Lee.

[Laura Calderone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agli ordini del capo... traduzione amatoriale!!!

[Jennifer (lecturama) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuando empecé Lágrimas de desamor, pensé que sería una historia más del típico romance entre jefe y secretaria… y sí, lo es. Pero también tiene algo que, aunque sencillo, logra enganchar: esa mezcla de deseo contenido, orgullo herido y necesidad emocional no dicha que Miranda Lee maneja con mucha habilidad.

Rachel es una protagonista que al inicio se esconde tras una apariencia discreta. Es seria, eficiente y parece determinada a no sobresalir… hasta que la vida —y un pequeño empujón del destino— la lleva a revelar su belleza y, más aún, su deseo de ser vista. Y ahí aparece Justin, su jefe, atractivo, poderoso y emocionalmente blindado, como suelen ser los hombres en estas historias. Él se siente atraído por la “nueva” Rachel, pero lucha con un conflicto interno: el deseo lo abruma, pero el amor lo asusta. Su pasado lo ha dejado con cicatrices invisibles que lo empujan a mantener las emociones lejos, muy lejos.

La tensión entre ellos me pareció deliciosa: diálogos cargados de indirectas, silencios pesados y un “quiero pero no debo” que se alarga justo lo suficiente para mantener el interés sin cansar. Es una historia de atracción innegable, pero también de redescubrimiento: Rachel no solo cambia por fuera, sino que empieza a reclamar lo que merece; y Justin, aunque se resiste, se ve obligado a enfrentarse a sentimientos que llevaba años esquivando.

No es una historia complicada. No pretende serlo. Es un romance rápido, ideal para leer en una tarde tranquila, cuando una necesita sentir mariposas en el estómago sin complicaciones ni subtramas elaboradas. El final, aunque predecible, me dejó con una sonrisa.

[Sassi J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent...rushed ending

So I will start by saying I have read many of Miranda Lee’s books and I like her style of storytelling. This book was no exception and I couldn’t put it down. I loved all of it..except literally the last page. The ending was like crossing the street with no cars and getting hit by a truck coming out of nowhere. The whole ending of this book was summed in 3 lines. The plot went on till the last 3 lines and then done. That’s the only thing that disappointed me and why I gave 4 instead of 5 stars. I was left wanting more to conclude the story. It was sooo good and to end it like that is an injustice to the great storyline. With all that being said, I highly recommend this book if you’re an old harlequin reader. I still loved it.

[Amee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good :)
Has a HEA

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alluring so far

[أجمل زهرة · Rating 3 out of 5]

الملخص

لطالما القت النساء بأنفسهن على جاستين ماكارثى ، فأي امرأة لا تحلم بأن توقع بذلك الرجل الوسيم وتتنعم بثروته الطائلة !
تصور جاستين انه أمن تلك المضايقات ، عندما وظف راشيل سكيرتيرة خاصه لديه فهي امرأة عادية الجمال متحفظة ولا نية لديها في اغوائه إلى أن جاء ذلك اليوم ....
خلال رحلة عمل ساعدها لتتحرر من محنة تواجهها ، فتحرر جمالها وانطلق أمام ناظريه ، ولم يعد جاستين يكتفى برؤيتها جالسة بتحفظ خلف مكتبها ... لكن الوميض الغريب الذي يلمحه في عينيها يجعله يتردد قبل أن يدرج الحب فى جدول أعماله !

[Mar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book. At first I thought it'd be a rebound type thing but, it turned out well. Justin and Rachel suited quite well in most every aspect. Justin was in denial from the on set.... thinking he'd be able to have an affair, spending contless hours together and staying over on weekends without feelings getting involved. Brilliantly done!

[LLC · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6*

[Elle Fielding · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

If you like Miranda Lee, you'll like this one. Nothing that hasn't been done before; just romance that's written right.

[Kiela Joseph]

great reading............

[Roub · Rating 1 out of 5]

it was more sex between these two! i did not feel the love nor any connection between them. i much preferred the 1st book in the trilogy, "a secret vengeance" than this one.

[Hasnamezied · Rating 3 out of 5]

قراءتها تحت اسم سهام من حرير

[Karissa Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok book. Pretty good story but hard to get into. Not a real page turner.

[Ladyacct · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked all the characters in this story and I really enjoyed the main romance.

[PAINTED BOX]

Justin McCarthy is a magnet for every man hunter in Sydney—they picture themselves spending his millions and cuddling up to him at night!

Rachel is Justin's idea of the perfect assistant. That is, until he pays for a complete makeover—one that unlocks the beauty within! Where once he was happy to have Rachel safely behind her desk, now Justin wants her across his—wild and willing. But then fantasy becomes reality, and Justin hasn't counted on love becoming part of his agenda!