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The Harder They Fall
He had a voice that could melt the Arctic--and a gaze that scorched all it touched . . . .
He prided himself on always staying in control, but Dr. Hunter Adams had never met anyone as unpredictable--or delectable--as lingerie saleswoman Trisha Malloy! His tease of a tenant seemed to have a talent for disaster when it came to her apartment, but her dazzling smile and spicy kisses turned each crisis into playful passion. Getting Hunter to admit his feelings wasn't easy, but could a clever captor finally win his stubborn heart?
Exhilarating . . . bewitching . . . impossible to put down! Jill Shalvis's fast-paced romp stars wonderfully mismatched lovers who are stunned to discover they're mad for each other! He adored her in silk and loved her in leather, but could a slightly staid scientist survive the constant but charming chaos that seemed to be his lady's middle name?
He prided himself on always staying in control, but Dr. Hunter Adams had never met anyone as unpredictable--or delectable--as lingerie saleswoman Trisha Malloy! His tease of a tenant seemed to have a talent for disaster when it came to her apartment, but her dazzling smile and spicy kisses turned each crisis into playful passion. Getting Hunter to admit his feelings wasn't easy, but could a clever captor finally win his stubborn heart?
Exhilarating . . . bewitching . . . impossible to put down! Jill Shalvis's fast-paced romp stars wonderfully mismatched lovers who are stunned to discover they're mad for each other! He adored her in silk and loved her in leather, but could a slightly staid scientist survive the constant but charming chaos that seemed to be his lady's middle name?
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
134 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Jill Shalvis
386 books13.8k followersJill Shalvis is a NYT, USA Today, and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of small-town romance and romcoms, known for big feels, found family, and plenty of shenanigans.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 25, 2017
OH MY GOD THIS WAS SO BAD. I love Jill Shalvis but some of her early stuff is tres ridiculous. Our main character is INSANE. She handcuffs a guy to her bed and tries to force him to tell her he loves her, BECAUSE she can see it in his eyes that he TRULY does love her, even if he's never said it. uhhhhhh, run, dude...
January 24, 2012
Rating 4.5
How romantic was this book?Totally about two people who seem opposite at the surface but share common experiences about childhood problems which helped them both become who they are as adults, the hero who is a successful NASA space scientist, a workholic and who craves control after a childhood with parents who were more like children and even now he's the one writing checks for the family and bailing them out, count being left two times at the altar, romance isn't something he wants especially with a woman who loves to live life to the fullest and is a klutz.
The hero is left a duplex by his aunt who adored him and when he visits the place literally catches the heroine, who is a tenant. The first meeting is hilarious, the heroine riling the hero, the way she is honest, dresses up, plays music constantly etc. I loved the heroine and felt so bad for her when we learned about her past, how she was raised in a terrible manner by her strict aunt and uncle and now was finally breaking free.
The scenes when the smoke alarms go off, the cuffs love confesssion plus seduction etc all were great. I liked how in touch the heroine was with her feelings while the hero was overwhelmed and running scared which caused him to pull away and hurt her.
How romantic was this book?Totally about two people who seem opposite at the surface but share common experiences about childhood problems which helped them both become who they are as adults, the hero who is a successful NASA space scientist, a workholic and who craves control after a childhood with parents who were more like children and even now he's the one writing checks for the family and bailing them out, count being left two times at the altar, romance isn't something he wants especially with a woman who loves to live life to the fullest and is a klutz.
The hero is left a duplex by his aunt who adored him and when he visits the place literally catches the heroine, who is a tenant. The first meeting is hilarious, the heroine riling the hero, the way she is honest, dresses up, plays music constantly etc. I loved the heroine and felt so bad for her when we learned about her past, how she was raised in a terrible manner by her strict aunt and uncle and now was finally breaking free.
The scenes when the smoke alarms go off, the cuffs love confesssion plus seduction etc all were great. I liked how in touch the heroine was with her feelings while the hero was overwhelmed and running scared which caused him to pull away and hurt her.
October 6, 2015
No book should be this hard to get through.
I'm at 30% and I can't take it anymore. The MCs are instantly attracted at first sight even though they are sure the other is the wrong type of person for them. The heroine, Trisha, is kooky and owns her own lingerie store (at 25) called Leather and Lace. The hero, Hunter, is a buttoned down astronaut/scientist (and I'm guessing much older) who inherited the duplex the heroine lives in.
Trisha is not very nice to Hunter because he wants to sell the duplex and she doesn't want to move. It literally doesn't matter what comes out of her mouth when she speaks to him because he is so distracted by her. When Hunter decides he wants to live downstairs she's unhappy because living next to her landlord means living with rules and she's done with that! Ok, she already lived with her landlord because Hunter's aunt lived there before she died and left the place to him. Second, how bad a tenant does she want to be? Did she expect the downstairs to be empty forever? Don't rent an apartment if you don't want to be considerate of your neighbors.
I gave up on this stupidness when Hunter shows up to fix her floor at 6am with no prior arrangement. It's not even light and he walks right into her bedroom and puts his hands on her when she doesn't want to get out of bed. They are still virtual strangers at this point (although they have kissed). Why would he be so weirdly thoughtless and expect her to work at an hour that would be ridiculous for anyone? How could he be so unaware of basic landlord/tenant law?
This whole book has an incredibly dated feel and I'm done.
I'm at 30% and I can't take it anymore. The MCs are instantly attracted at first sight even though they are sure the other is the wrong type of person for them. The heroine, Trisha, is kooky and owns her own lingerie store (at 25) called Leather and Lace. The hero, Hunter, is a buttoned down astronaut/scientist (and I'm guessing much older) who inherited the duplex the heroine lives in.
Trisha is not very nice to Hunter because he wants to sell the duplex and she doesn't want to move. It literally doesn't matter what comes out of her mouth when she speaks to him because he is so distracted by her. When Hunter decides he wants to live downstairs she's unhappy because living next to her landlord means living with rules and she's done with that! Ok, she already lived with her landlord because Hunter's aunt lived there before she died and left the place to him. Second, how bad a tenant does she want to be? Did she expect the downstairs to be empty forever? Don't rent an apartment if you don't want to be considerate of your neighbors.
I gave up on this stupidness when Hunter shows up to fix her floor at 6am with no prior arrangement. It's not even light and he walks right into her bedroom and puts his hands on her when she doesn't want to get out of bed. They are still virtual strangers at this point (although they have kissed). Why would he be so weirdly thoughtless and expect her to work at an hour that would be ridiculous for anyone? How could he be so unaware of basic landlord/tenant law?
This whole book has an incredibly dated feel and I'm done.
December 19, 2017
Wow.
Hunter is NASA Scientist.
Trisha sells ladies lingerie.
They are complete opposites. They are attracted yo each other.
She falls in love with him.
He is afraid to hurt her.
HEA
Hunter is NASA Scientist.
Trisha sells ladies lingerie.
They are complete opposites. They are attracted yo each other.
She falls in love with him.
He is afraid to hurt her.
HEA
November 4, 2017
This book was very good, very cute, and fast pace. Perfect for a quick read. Plus I loved that it was available on Kindle Unlimited.
I love Jill Shalvis' books, they usually succeed in making me chuckle and they're almost always cute. I can see that this is one of her earlier books as the tone of the book is a little different as is the writing but I thought it still good.
The book starts with Hunter finding out that his great aunt left him her condo, and while he is there scoping the place out, a beautiful woman falls from the ceiling landing literally on top of him, shocking the hell out of him.
This woman is clearly crazy with good reason, as we find out later, but she is also kind hearted and funny. She makes him feel things he never thought he would feel for someone like her. Likewise she never imagined that she could fall for someone like him. The stuffy, have no fun, live by a strict set of rules, kind of guy. But the funny thing is love is not logical and more often then not makes no sense, and takes people by surprise.
I really enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it to any romance lover. 5/5 stars
I love Jill Shalvis' books, they usually succeed in making me chuckle and they're almost always cute. I can see that this is one of her earlier books as the tone of the book is a little different as is the writing but I thought it still good.
The book starts with Hunter finding out that his great aunt left him her condo, and while he is there scoping the place out, a beautiful woman falls from the ceiling landing literally on top of him, shocking the hell out of him.
This woman is clearly crazy with good reason, as we find out later, but she is also kind hearted and funny. She makes him feel things he never thought he would feel for someone like her. Likewise she never imagined that she could fall for someone like him. The stuffy, have no fun, live by a strict set of rules, kind of guy. But the funny thing is love is not logical and more often then not makes no sense, and takes people by surprise.
I really enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it to any romance lover. 5/5 stars
November 23, 2014
This book was such a treat to read that I could not put it down till I finished it. We first meet Dr. Hunter Adams as he inherit a duplex his great aunt has left him. Hunter, who's a scientist has no time to repair old duplex and he finds Tricia lives upstairs loud music and a life time lease his aunt had signed. This makes for a great story. Hunter likes or should say has to have a control life, but when he is near Tricia he has none and this is driving him crazy. Tricia has a past that just pulls at your heart for all that she has been through, but she don't let it define who she is. Hunter has is own past that haunts him, and he is determined to stay away from Tricia and not fall for her. To bad his heart and body isn't listening. Little by little Tricia ships away at that control Hunter has, to a big caring man scared as she is. When Tricia realize what she wants she goes after it, and Hunter is everything she wants. Hunter fights his feelings every step of the way. This is such a great book and I recommend it to anyone who likes to read romance stories. This is my first by this author, I will be reading more by Jill Shalvis.
January 3, 2022
not my favorite book of hers,it's a pretty old one and I'm just glad this wasn't the first book of hers I've read otherwise i wouldn't know how good of an author she is now. I didn't really care for Trisha and found her rather annoying. The kindle version needs to be edited badly. You'd be on one sceen and then the very next it'd be a completely different one or she'd be talking and you'd be experiencing it from her view point and then it'd shift to his with no warning or any spaces letting you know it was changing. It made you think you were missing part of the book at first until it happened every time.
November 18, 2014
I liked the opposites attract thing—the clumsy lingerie store owner for a heroine and the master-of-all-trades-but-relationships NASA scientist for a hero. But the narrative itself was pretty odd to read, the scene transitions were abrupt, and the dialogue was mostly stale. There certainly was chemistry between the couple, but I didn't think it was fully realised despite the steamy scenes and, of course, the cuffs. This was an older work by Shalvis; I saw little of what endeared her writing to me. Great premise, but weak execution.
October 11, 2014
Very funny
The book was great. The characters are so different yet so the same. Jill Shalvis fans will enjoy this story immensely, it has the humor and romance we all crave. Plus a little drama,you might want to grab some tissues.
The book was great. The characters are so different yet so the same. Jill Shalvis fans will enjoy this story immensely, it has the humor and romance we all crave. Plus a little drama,you might want to grab some tissues.
September 13, 2017
Not worth reading
I finished it because it was a Jill Shalvis book, but it was repetitive, so at times boring, and the characters were annoying, especially Hunter. Some things also didn't make sense or sun to belong in the book.
I finished it because it was a Jill Shalvis book, but it was repetitive, so at times boring, and the characters were annoying, especially Hunter. Some things also didn't make sense or sun to belong in the book.
Read
September 3, 2018This book is garbage. The steaming kind. I can’t believe I actually made it through the whole thing. First of all, this needs a trigger warning: she rapes him. It’s meant to play out like a sensual power struggle, but when someone says “no”, the whole enchilada needs to stop immediately. Rape isn’t sexy, it’s not fun, and we need to stop fetishizing it without some sort of content or trigger warning. I’m really disappointed because I read a book from another one of Shalvis’ series and I liked it, but this was pretty much the worst thing I’ve ever forced myself to read. I almost called it quits with 10 pages to go. I should have. The ending was even worse.
There’s just no character or plot development. The whole first part of the book was “cold, distant boy meets fun, flirty girl and then they bone.” Real original. The rest of it plays out pretty predictably too, and the sex scenes are so derivative that you might think it was taken from Casanova or some other classic romance. Make no mistake, this is not a classic romance. This is a piece of garbage with tired, overdone themes and scenes. I can’t believe I finished it.
There’s just no character or plot development. The whole first part of the book was “cold, distant boy meets fun, flirty girl and then they bone.” Real original. The rest of it plays out pretty predictably too, and the sex scenes are so derivative that you might think it was taken from Casanova or some other classic romance. Make no mistake, this is not a classic romance. This is a piece of garbage with tired, overdone themes and scenes. I can’t believe I finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2017
I'm usually a fan of Jill Shalvis. I have loved so many of her series. This book just didn't work for me. At all. Everything felt disjointed and rushed. There wasn't much of a build up. I feel like they actually spent time together one time and that was the entirety of when they could have developed any feelings for each other besides random snippets of conversation. And the first steamy scene? Just no. I was cringing the entire time. The h sounded more like a crazy stalker girlfriend than someone I connected with. And it felt way too much like forced sex. If the h and H had reversed places people would have been pissed. If someone says no to sex you don't keep going, male or female. Doesn't matter. The ending felt rushed which I guess matched the rest of the book. This one wasn't a win in my book.
September 13, 2019
Trisha Malloy is the tenant in the building NASA scientist Hunter Adams inherits. Trisha is a free spirit, frequently getting into messy situations while Hunter is pretty straitlaced. It should be a match of opposites.
This is a very quick and easy read. The characters are pretty much stereotypes whose main attraction to the other has to do with lust, not love. The situations they find themselves in are pretty farfetched which makes it hard to develop any interest in what little development Trisha and Hunter experience. Definitely not my favorite Jill Shalvis.
This is a very quick and easy read. The characters are pretty much stereotypes whose main attraction to the other has to do with lust, not love. The situations they find themselves in are pretty farfetched which makes it hard to develop any interest in what little development Trisha and Hunter experience. Definitely not my favorite Jill Shalvis.
March 27, 2018
Normally, I really like Jill Shalvis and her light and easy romance novels. This one fell flat. Trisha's character is basically a helpless female with a tough past. Hunter is a doctor who doesn't feel loved.
Hunter inherits the duplex where Trisha is renting. She literally falls through the floor into his arms. And the rest is typical romance fare.
Hunter inherits the duplex where Trisha is renting. She literally falls through the floor into his arms. And the rest is typical romance fare.
September 19, 2019
Trisha and Hunter -both with pasts that hold them back . He inherits his great aunt’s house -she lives upstairs. She is larger than life and always breaking or ruining something -he is a stuffy scientist -liked their banter -not sure if his great body goes with his being a stuffy scientist or if there is much author scientific credibility but nevertheless enjoyable .
Read
January 2, 2020As always I enjoyed the quirkiness of the characters. Trisha Malloy has a clumsiness about her that is endearing as she struggles to overcome imposed expectations on her and discovering who she is on her own. A struggle that many readers can relate to when trying to find a balance between familial expectations and self-realization.
July 3, 2017
Great fine!
I ran across this book and loving Jill Shalvis like I do I dove in. Hunter the workaholic inherits a duplex from his aunt. Little does he know the tenant who has a life estate in the duplex is exactly what he needs in his life. Too funny to put down.
I ran across this book and loving Jill Shalvis like I do I dove in. Hunter the workaholic inherits a duplex from his aunt. Little does he know the tenant who has a life estate in the duplex is exactly what he needs in his life. Too funny to put down.
August 14, 2019
Devoid of plot and character development
I'd give this no stars if possible. The plot of this novel is practically non-existent and the characters are insipid and lacking in any subtlety of motivation. Just awful.
I'd give this no stars if possible. The plot of this novel is practically non-existent and the characters are insipid and lacking in any subtlety of motivation. Just awful.
September 21, 2019
Enjoyable
Trisha makes her own way in life and overcomes feelings and beliefs drilled into her for years from the aunt and uncle who raised her. Hunter learns to let go and trust again, opening his heart to Trisha. HEA.
Trisha makes her own way in life and overcomes feelings and beliefs drilled into her for years from the aunt and uncle who raised her. Hunter learns to let go and trust again, opening his heart to Trisha. HEA.
September 26, 2019
The Harder They Fall
I loved this book!! It was nerdy and awkward and goofy and silly. It was such a fun read. I loved Trisha she was a hoot. Definitely a fun romance with a great HEA!!
I loved this book!! It was nerdy and awkward and goofy and silly. It was such a fun read. I loved Trisha she was a hoot. Definitely a fun romance with a great HEA!!
November 13, 2019
Great fun and super story line.
Great fun and super story line. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up all night until I fell asleep then finished it when I woke up. I am going to look for more books by Jill Sharvis.
Great fun and super story line. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up all night until I fell asleep then finished it when I woke up. I am going to look for more books by Jill Sharvis.
December 23, 2019
I love JS but could not get into this 1994 book
This is a reprint of an early JS book. It was a boring read. The author has hone her craft over the years and is one of my favorite authors today. This story had great potential however was not developed well.
This is a reprint of an early JS book. It was a boring read. The author has hone her craft over the years and is one of my favorite authors today. This story had great potential however was not developed well.
May 25, 2017
Good read
A Jill Shalvis classic. A clutsy wild woman and a starched, straight-laced hunk.....and a collision course. She drives him crazy and he is in deep lust. Highly recommend.
A Jill Shalvis classic. A clutsy wild woman and a starched, straight-laced hunk.....and a collision course. She drives him crazy and he is in deep lust. Highly recommend.
June 21, 2017
2 1/2 stars
July 24, 2017
Not my favorite
August 20, 2017
A good beach read
A cute and easy read. 2 opposites trying to survive each other. Will they make it before she destroys the house?
A cute and easy read. 2 opposites trying to survive each other. Will they make it before she destroys the house?
August 23, 2017
Cute and predictable, but the characters have more depth than you often find. I enjoyed it.
September 10, 2017
LOVED IT!!!
Another hit. I loved this couple. Such different views on life due to their upbringing. Their banter was too funny. Looking forward to next one.
Another hit. I loved this couple. Such different views on life due to their upbringing. Their banter was too funny. Looking forward to next one.
September 30, 2017
I usually love Jill's books but the editing, in this one, is horrible. Very disjointed.
December 17, 2017
Jill Shalvis can generally do no wrong, but this one just didn't work for me. It's from 1998, so clearly it's an earlier work. I think I'll stick to her newer stuff, as I really enjoy those.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews