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The Romanos #1
The Sexiest Man Alive
Valentine Male...
When Matt Romano proposed closing down Chic magazine, Susannah was determined to stop him in his tracks. He was a boardroom barracuda!
She came up with a brilliant plan to boost Chic's circulation: find the sexiest man alive and feature him as the Valentine's Day centerfold. But Matt insisted on supervising her search. Suddenly Susannah was surrounded by half a dozen gorgeous guys, all vying to get between the sheets--of her magazine, of course. But she longed to be seduced by Matt, who got her vote as the world's sexiest man!
When Matt Romano proposed closing down Chic magazine, Susannah was determined to stop him in his tracks. He was a boardroom barracuda!
She came up with a brilliant plan to boost Chic's circulation: find the sexiest man alive and feature him as the Valentine's Day centerfold. But Matt insisted on supervising her search. Suddenly Susannah was surrounded by half a dozen gorgeous guys, all vying to get between the sheets--of her magazine, of course. But she longed to be seduced by Matt, who got her vote as the world's sexiest man!
185 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
4 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Marton
674 books540 followersI've been a writer, one way or another, all my life. Before I could read, I made up poems and my mom wrote them down for me. In elementary school, my teachers almost always let me write poems or stories instead of requiring me to do art projects. Always, I dreamed of becoming a published writer...and that dream came true! I write novels about sexy, powerful men and independent-minded women, and what happens when they find each other and fall in love. My books are sexy and romantic, and they've very often full of romantic suspense. I write the kinds of books I love to read, and I hope that makes my readers happy.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 9, 2019
Re The Sexiest Man Alive - Sandra Marton kicks off her Romanos Brothers duology with a battle of the sexes office romance.
The back blurb on the book actually tells the whole story. The h is the newly appointed editor in chief of a failing women's magazine. The H is the business conglomerate head who just bought the h's parent company out.
The h sank her battleship even before the H met her by using the company email, (a first email exchange event for HPlandia ever,) to write some very acerbic comments about the womanizing and chauvinism of the H.
Plus she sent e-hugs and kisses to the various males in her life when she was writing to her BFF and features editor, who also works for the magazine, while the h was on a mini vacation.
The H is all set to storm the office on Monday and close everything down, then personally escort the h out of the editor in chief door. But the h is running late due to a broken alarm clock and the Very Important Breakfast Menu Selection of Peter Katz.
Peter Katz is the best and most interesting part of this book. He is a beautiful Persian kitty with lots of interesting things to say and I was very angry with the h's BFF who insisted that Peter Katz did not love the h. The BFF deserved a skillet smack for taking the attitude that Peter Katz was only hanging out with the h because she had Shrimp and Lobster Ragout Tastee Deelites Foods.
So anyhows, the H is ready to throw in the towel on the whole magazine, but the h slips on a jelly donut right into the H's arms. Roofie kisses follow and then arguments.
We will continue the bickerfest in between purple passion moments for the next eight chapters, cause the H is willing to lose a few million in failing magazine loss write offs, if it means he can get a lurve club swing thing going with the h.
The h will use whatever advantage she can to save the magazine and make her editor in chief debut. So she proposes a sexiest man alive article and pictorial to boost interest for the magazine.
The h soon finds herself surrounded by very handsome guys all vying to be number one. The H is trying to make a few seduction moves of his own and his jealously runs rampant as we all go to Paris and the wanna be Mr. Sexiest's all vie for the h's attention.
There is the inevitable work process battle that leads to a Lurve Club Event and unicorns had left this h to her own devices long before. It is fantastic and the aftereffect is that the h and H both have a lot of jealousy over other potential partners in each of their lives.
The h is livid about all the females and models that surround the H and the H is livid over Peter Katz, (the H thinks he only has two legs,) the h's gay guy Other BFF and all the Mr. Sexiest wanna be's.
After their single night of Purple Bliss, the H backs off seeing the h and the h believes she was a pump and dump. Then, back home after the Paris experience and missing the H who is off on business, she sees the H in a gossip column photo with one of the female French Models.
The h is hurt and furious and quits her job with the H. Then she and Peter Katz have an anchovy and ice cream mopey food moment. Peter ate the anchovies, while the h stuck with wine and ice cream.
The H shows up in the middle of this, declaring that the French Model was stalking him, but they are not together, he wants the h to throw those OM out of her life to be with only him.
Then the H figures out his main rival has better hair and more meticulous grooming habits than he will ever have and the H knows he has lost. The H agrees to be second best to Peter Katz in the h's life, because he finally figured out he loves the h and she says she loves him back for the big HEA.
This one was a very standard SM HP day at the office romance bickerfest. Some of it was funny, a lot of it was very mean in general and the BFF never got a skillet smack for being so horrible about Peter being a gold digger cat opportunist.
I could only give this a two star because of the unfair treatment of Peter Katz, who listened to the h, purred on her when she cried and always made sure her bed was warmed up at night. Peter also never tried to pimp the h out to the H, unlike some other BFF's in the book.
(Also, I am not a fan of SM's battle of the sexes and chauvinism stories.)
But I also have to admit that these are very specific personal biases and overall, the book probably isn't that bad. So if you run into it, don't be afraid to take it out for an HP outing test drive.
The back blurb on the book actually tells the whole story. The h is the newly appointed editor in chief of a failing women's magazine. The H is the business conglomerate head who just bought the h's parent company out.
The h sank her battleship even before the H met her by using the company email, (a first email exchange event for HPlandia ever,) to write some very acerbic comments about the womanizing and chauvinism of the H.
Plus she sent e-hugs and kisses to the various males in her life when she was writing to her BFF and features editor, who also works for the magazine, while the h was on a mini vacation.
The H is all set to storm the office on Monday and close everything down, then personally escort the h out of the editor in chief door. But the h is running late due to a broken alarm clock and the Very Important Breakfast Menu Selection of Peter Katz.
Peter Katz is the best and most interesting part of this book. He is a beautiful Persian kitty with lots of interesting things to say and I was very angry with the h's BFF who insisted that Peter Katz did not love the h. The BFF deserved a skillet smack for taking the attitude that Peter Katz was only hanging out with the h because she had Shrimp and Lobster Ragout Tastee Deelites Foods.
So anyhows, the H is ready to throw in the towel on the whole magazine, but the h slips on a jelly donut right into the H's arms. Roofie kisses follow and then arguments.
We will continue the bickerfest in between purple passion moments for the next eight chapters, cause the H is willing to lose a few million in failing magazine loss write offs, if it means he can get a lurve club swing thing going with the h.
The h will use whatever advantage she can to save the magazine and make her editor in chief debut. So she proposes a sexiest man alive article and pictorial to boost interest for the magazine.
The h soon finds herself surrounded by very handsome guys all vying to be number one. The H is trying to make a few seduction moves of his own and his jealously runs rampant as we all go to Paris and the wanna be Mr. Sexiest's all vie for the h's attention.
There is the inevitable work process battle that leads to a Lurve Club Event and unicorns had left this h to her own devices long before. It is fantastic and the aftereffect is that the h and H both have a lot of jealousy over other potential partners in each of their lives.
The h is livid about all the females and models that surround the H and the H is livid over Peter Katz, (the H thinks he only has two legs,) the h's gay guy Other BFF and all the Mr. Sexiest wanna be's.
After their single night of Purple Bliss, the H backs off seeing the h and the h believes she was a pump and dump. Then, back home after the Paris experience and missing the H who is off on business, she sees the H in a gossip column photo with one of the female French Models.
The h is hurt and furious and quits her job with the H. Then she and Peter Katz have an anchovy and ice cream mopey food moment. Peter ate the anchovies, while the h stuck with wine and ice cream.
The H shows up in the middle of this, declaring that the French Model was stalking him, but they are not together, he wants the h to throw those OM out of her life to be with only him.
Then the H figures out his main rival has better hair and more meticulous grooming habits than he will ever have and the H knows he has lost. The H agrees to be second best to Peter Katz in the h's life, because he finally figured out he loves the h and she says she loves him back for the big HEA.
This one was a very standard SM HP day at the office romance bickerfest. Some of it was funny, a lot of it was very mean in general and the BFF never got a skillet smack for being so horrible about Peter being a gold digger cat opportunist.
I could only give this a two star because of the unfair treatment of Peter Katz, who listened to the h, purred on her when she cried and always made sure her bed was warmed up at night. Peter also never tried to pimp the h out to the H, unlike some other BFF's in the book.
(Also, I am not a fan of SM's battle of the sexes and chauvinism stories.)
But I also have to admit that these are very specific personal biases and overall, the book probably isn't that bad. So if you run into it, don't be afraid to take it out for an HP outing test drive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2013
Another one of Sandra Marton charming romantic comedies !! Alpha H strong but tender, feisty h w/ backbones, hilarious situations, humorous writing, POV of both h/H making them more human & closer to the reader. If you need a laugh-out-loud funny book, I ll def recommend this book .
August 2, 2025
Sometimes you stumble across a romance that makes you grin, sigh, and want to hug the book to your chest when you are done, and The Sexiest Man Alive by Sandra Marton was exactly that for me. I picked it up while hunting for something that would give me the same buzz as The Bedroom Business (another Marton favorite that I have reread countless times), and it delivered in spades. I have to appreciate Amazon for doing such a swell job in recommending this title to me. Equal parts sexy, hilarious, and heart-tugging, this one had me smiling from the first chapter to the very last page.
The premise itself is fun and lighthearted. Susannah Madison, editor at Chic magazine, finds herself at odds with Matthew Romano, a ruthless and commanding businessman who wants to shut down her publication. Susannah, clever and determined, comes up with a scheme to save the magazine: a feature on the “sexiest man alive” for Valentine’s Day. What she doesn’t anticipate is Matthew’s decision to supervise her search, or the way sparks fly between them from the very beginning. Their encounters are deliciously combative, full of sharp banter and sizzling chemistry that neither of them can deny.
Matthew Romano is exactly the sort of hero I love; sexy, commanding, sensitive, and yes, stupid when it comes to matters of the heart. He is a man who has been steadfastly holding on to his bachelorhood, only to find himself helplessly drawn to a woman he once thought of as an adversary.
That push-and-pull is what makes him so compelling; for all his ruthlessness in the boardroom, he loses his cool spectacularly whenever Susannah is near. He pushes her buttons, makes her drop her armor, and forces her to embrace her femininity in ways that both terrify and exhilarate her. He makes her feel, and that is where the power of his character lies.
Susannah, for her part, is just as delightful. Strong-willed, independent, and determined to fight for what she believes in, she matches Matthew every step of the way. From the moment she literally falls into his arms and they kiss each other senseless, to their many fiery clashes where neither one will back down, she proves herself to be every bit his equal. The way she unsettles him, challenges him, and ultimately steals his heart is exactly why this romance works so beautifully.
This book was undoubtedly delicious. What really makes the novel stand out is the hilarity woven into the fabric of their story. The way both Susannah and Matthew tries to deny the elephant in the room, the combustible attraction simmering between them, leads to some truly laugh-out-loud moments that balance the sensuality perfectly.
The sexual tension between Matthew and Susannah is off the charts. Every encounter, whether it is an argument, a negotiation, or an accidental brush of hands, is charged with longing and fire. Their kisses are fiery, their stolen moments laden with passion, and the eventual culmination is everything you would want from an enemies-to-lovers romance, and the eroticism much better than any explicit erotic romance. Add to that a touch of angst, the kind that makes your chest ache in the best possible way, and you have a romance that checks every single box. This is old-school category romance at its best, reminding me of why these classic Mills & Boon romances still stand the test of time.
Recommended for: readers who love old-school Mills & Boon with a perfect blend of wit, humor, fiery sexual tension, and heartfelt emotion. If you enjoyed The Bedroom Business, this one should definitely be next on your list.
Final Verdict: A marvelous story that made my heart happy, with a hero who is sexy, and commanding, and and story that is hilarious and romantic in all the ways that matter. This is one I will be revisiting again and again.
Rating = 5/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
The premise itself is fun and lighthearted. Susannah Madison, editor at Chic magazine, finds herself at odds with Matthew Romano, a ruthless and commanding businessman who wants to shut down her publication. Susannah, clever and determined, comes up with a scheme to save the magazine: a feature on the “sexiest man alive” for Valentine’s Day. What she doesn’t anticipate is Matthew’s decision to supervise her search, or the way sparks fly between them from the very beginning. Their encounters are deliciously combative, full of sharp banter and sizzling chemistry that neither of them can deny.
Matthew Romano is exactly the sort of hero I love; sexy, commanding, sensitive, and yes, stupid when it comes to matters of the heart. He is a man who has been steadfastly holding on to his bachelorhood, only to find himself helplessly drawn to a woman he once thought of as an adversary.
That push-and-pull is what makes him so compelling; for all his ruthlessness in the boardroom, he loses his cool spectacularly whenever Susannah is near. He pushes her buttons, makes her drop her armor, and forces her to embrace her femininity in ways that both terrify and exhilarate her. He makes her feel, and that is where the power of his character lies.
Susannah, for her part, is just as delightful. Strong-willed, independent, and determined to fight for what she believes in, she matches Matthew every step of the way. From the moment she literally falls into his arms and they kiss each other senseless, to their many fiery clashes where neither one will back down, she proves herself to be every bit his equal. The way she unsettles him, challenges him, and ultimately steals his heart is exactly why this romance works so beautifully.
This book was undoubtedly delicious. What really makes the novel stand out is the hilarity woven into the fabric of their story. The way both Susannah and Matthew tries to deny the elephant in the room, the combustible attraction simmering between them, leads to some truly laugh-out-loud moments that balance the sensuality perfectly.
The sexual tension between Matthew and Susannah is off the charts. Every encounter, whether it is an argument, a negotiation, or an accidental brush of hands, is charged with longing and fire. Their kisses are fiery, their stolen moments laden with passion, and the eventual culmination is everything you would want from an enemies-to-lovers romance, and the eroticism much better than any explicit erotic romance. Add to that a touch of angst, the kind that makes your chest ache in the best possible way, and you have a romance that checks every single box. This is old-school category romance at its best, reminding me of why these classic Mills & Boon romances still stand the test of time.
Recommended for: readers who love old-school Mills & Boon with a perfect blend of wit, humor, fiery sexual tension, and heartfelt emotion. If you enjoyed The Bedroom Business, this one should definitely be next on your list.
Final Verdict: A marvelous story that made my heart happy, with a hero who is sexy, and commanding, and and story that is hilarious and romantic in all the ways that matter. This is one I will be revisiting again and again.
Rating = 5/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
July 24, 2021
"There are five categories. Ambience. Décor. Food. Wine. Mood. And ratings from one to five."
"Ratings? You mean, stars?"
"I guess."
He put his elbow on the table and propped his chin in his hand. "Hearts," he said.
My rating: 5 hearts!
Such a fun story with a 90s rom com feel!
- Awesome cheesy title and cover
- Hilarious prologue of office emails/memos
- The jelly donut debacle
- Peter Katz, presumed lover of heroine, but really... he's a cat
- Chocolate cake loving hero
- Feisty/strong but also awkward and endearing heroine
- Workplace enemies wanna be lovers tension
- A trip to Paris with four "Sexiests" male contenders
- Many laugh out loud moments
What's not to love?
"Ratings? You mean, stars?"
"I guess."
He put his elbow on the table and propped his chin in his hand. "Hearts," he said.
My rating: 5 hearts!
Such a fun story with a 90s rom com feel!
- Awesome cheesy title and cover
- Hilarious prologue of office emails/memos
- The jelly donut debacle
- Peter Katz, presumed lover of heroine, but really... he's a cat
- Chocolate cake loving hero
- Feisty/strong but also awkward and endearing heroine
- Workplace enemies wanna be lovers tension
- A trip to Paris with four "Sexiests" male contenders
- Many laugh out loud moments
What's not to love?
November 24, 2021
Could have been better
I did enjoy this book. Found some errors but not a ton that was mentioned by others. I feel that this book could have been so much better had the heroine not been so gorgeous. Here was an opportunity to have an average woman draw a man to her through her spunk, and fire, instead of her looks. I liked it up until the point where she meets him in a restaurant for the first time when he was with his brother. After that it kind of lost it's spark for me. Yes, gorgeous women deserve live but almost all the books out there are about gorgeous women. We need plain... average....woman who meet the love of their lives. Still a good read.
I did enjoy this book. Found some errors but not a ton that was mentioned by others. I feel that this book could have been so much better had the heroine not been so gorgeous. Here was an opportunity to have an average woman draw a man to her through her spunk, and fire, instead of her looks. I liked it up until the point where she meets him in a restaurant for the first time when he was with his brother. After that it kind of lost it's spark for me. Yes, gorgeous women deserve live but almost all the books out there are about gorgeous women. We need plain... average....woman who meet the love of their lives. Still a good read.
August 24, 2018
This woman has worse luck than me, but she gets the guy in the end. Pretty good story for a Harlequin although it's based on business.
August 21, 2024
So hot funny couple!definetely a kind of comedy of errors but it works🤞🏻
January 10, 2011
description
Valentine Male...
When Matt Romano proposed closing down Chic magazine, Susannah was determined to stop him in his tracks. He was a boardroom barracuda!
She came up with a brilliant plan to boost Chic's circulation: find the sexiest man alive and feature him as the Valentine's Day centerfold. But Matt insisted on supervising her search. Suddenly Susannah was surrounded by half a dozen gorgeous guys, all vying to get between the sheets--of her magazine, of course. But she longed to be seduced by Matt, who got her vote as the world's sexiest man!
Valentine Male...
When Matt Romano proposed closing down Chic magazine, Susannah was determined to stop him in his tracks. He was a boardroom barracuda!
She came up with a brilliant plan to boost Chic's circulation: find the sexiest man alive and feature him as the Valentine's Day centerfold. But Matt insisted on supervising her search. Suddenly Susannah was surrounded by half a dozen gorgeous guys, all vying to get between the sheets--of her magazine, of course. But she longed to be seduced by Matt, who got her vote as the world's sexiest man!
August 17, 2011
Charming and funny. Like a screwball comedy from the 30's updated to the 90's. Such a nice change from the usual alpha-jerk and spineless ninny stories.
February 14, 2012
Cute story. The ending was much better once things got moving along.
August 20, 2013
A lot of humour in this book but I have to say that what I liked the most was that for once we had both thoughts and point of views. Next on my TBR list, the brother's story...
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews