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Suitable Mistress
Mistress material?
Dane Sutherland was rich, powerful and sinfully gorgeous. He had it all--but he wanted more! He wanted Suzanne...and she was equally determined not to fall into his arms, or his bed!
Suzanne had a deep grudge against Dane's family and, besides, he was used to dating petite, elegant women who hung on his every word. Suzanne was too tall, too outspoken.... She had to convince Dane she wouldn't make a suitable mistress at all!
Dane Sutherland was rich, powerful and sinfully gorgeous. He had it all--but he wanted more! He wanted Suzanne...and she was equally determined not to fall into his arms, or his bed!
Suzanne had a deep grudge against Dane's family and, besides, he was used to dating petite, elegant women who hung on his every word. Suzanne was too tall, too outspoken.... She had to convince Dane she wouldn't make a suitable mistress at all!
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 11, 1996
7 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Williams
1,333 books202 followersCathy Williams, born in Trinidad and Tobago, is a British author who has written romance novels for Mills & Boon since 1990. She lives in Chiswick, London, with her three daughters and continues to craft engaging, heartfelt love stories.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 7, 2019
Re A Suitable Mistress - Cathy Williams does the tropiest of the tropiest to very bad effect in this HP outing of workaholic and maybe kinda sorta revenge inspired meager romance.
The 21ish h is mopeying about London and living in a grotty bedsit when the story starts. She recently lost her father, threw in her accounting degree program, moved to London and it is all because the H's stepmother is a snot snarfing, condescending, patronizing slime pustule.
The h grew up without a mum, who died when the h was young, and she and her chauffeur dad worked and lived on the H's family estate. The H was BFF's with the h's older brother and the h had a long time crush on him.
When the H's father died, the H took off for the United States, leaving his stepmother in charge of the family land and pile. The H is the actual owner and responsible for the upkeep of the place, but the H did nothing as most of the staff was fired.
The h's father, who was suffering from declining health, was told by the stepmother that if he did not continue to work and do additional duties, including manual labor in the garden, the stepmother would kick him out of the estate cottage he had lived in for thirty years.
The h's father did not see a whole lot of options, so he stayed and eventually died while in the midst of digging out the five acre gardens. The h lost her infatuation for the H very quickly, this was just the latest bit of condescending, patronization and abuses that the h has suffered from the stepmother and the H over the years.
So the h is none to keen to see the H standing at her door. He berates for getting fat, looking worn down and quitting her uni career. Then he verbally bullies her and drags her off to live with him and work in one of his companies.
In classic evil OW HP approved style, the h is sent to work with what appears to be the H's American lover. It soon becomes clear that the h's new boss is just as nasty, vindictive and patronizing as the H and his stepmother are.
We get five chapters of the H, the American girlfriend and the memories of the h being berated by the stepmother, where EVERYONE of these condescending snot gulpers denigrate her for being a chauffeur's daughter and not knowing her place, in a variety of ways.
The H manages to throw in some handsy body part gropes, attempted forced seductions and roofie kisses in the midst of telling the h how infantile she is and how she feels and thinks - apparently this h is to have no thoughts or feelings that aren't directed by the H.
There is also the verbal bashing that the h is a tarty tease, when she doesn't want to go to bed with the H because he feels like slumming.
There is a very bizarre scene where the H's American girlfriend tells the h she has to waitress at a party the H is giving and has invited the h to. The h knows something humiliating is up, so she gets a French Maid costume and parades around the party serving drinks in it.
This infuriates the H, as all the men at the party can't help but drool over her statuesque, curvy self. The h and H bicker a lot and the h finds out that the H isn't really dating or sleeping with the American OW - she is just a wanna be.
Then the h starts digging into the company files and finds out the American OW is embezzling. She confronts the OW, who tells the h that if she warns the H about her activities, she will mess up his bid to buy his father's company.
(Apparently the stepmother got the family business and the H got the estate. The stepmother is running the company into the ground and there is serious drama between her and the H. So the H is in the midst of a takeover attempt.)
The h decides she has to tell the H about the embezzlement anyways and the H drags the h off to confront his stepmother. Along the way, the H announces to the h that she loves him. We get to the H's ancestral home and there is a little showdown where the H announces that he is marrying the h, and has sneakily manipulated the American OW and the stepmother out of his father's company.
The H fires the American OW and added a promise to ruin her career, then he kicks the stepmother out of the house. He then wanders off, leaving the h to supervise the stepmother's packing to leave while mooning about her future life with the H.
The H returns to tell the h she will be marrying him and living at the estate and to make sure she is compliant, he lurves her in bed for a very bland HEA.
This one was very boring and mediocre. The continual patronizing and condescending put downs of the h by every main character just went on for too long. Even the H's revenge bit is a tacked on paragraph near the end and these two gave no indications that they were feeling anything but a bit of physical lust.
CM uses the HP approved evil OW standard party line, but with two of them and both being kinda generic run of the mill Evil OW, there wasn't even any interesting wrecky drama. This one is a chore to get through and the HEA was indifferent, so I wouldn't recommend this for an HP outing.
The 21ish h is mopeying about London and living in a grotty bedsit when the story starts. She recently lost her father, threw in her accounting degree program, moved to London and it is all because the H's stepmother is a snot snarfing, condescending, patronizing slime pustule.
The h grew up without a mum, who died when the h was young, and she and her chauffeur dad worked and lived on the H's family estate. The H was BFF's with the h's older brother and the h had a long time crush on him.
When the H's father died, the H took off for the United States, leaving his stepmother in charge of the family land and pile. The H is the actual owner and responsible for the upkeep of the place, but the H did nothing as most of the staff was fired.
The h's father, who was suffering from declining health, was told by the stepmother that if he did not continue to work and do additional duties, including manual labor in the garden, the stepmother would kick him out of the estate cottage he had lived in for thirty years.
The h's father did not see a whole lot of options, so he stayed and eventually died while in the midst of digging out the five acre gardens. The h lost her infatuation for the H very quickly, this was just the latest bit of condescending, patronization and abuses that the h has suffered from the stepmother and the H over the years.
So the h is none to keen to see the H standing at her door. He berates for getting fat, looking worn down and quitting her uni career. Then he verbally bullies her and drags her off to live with him and work in one of his companies.
In classic evil OW HP approved style, the h is sent to work with what appears to be the H's American lover. It soon becomes clear that the h's new boss is just as nasty, vindictive and patronizing as the H and his stepmother are.
We get five chapters of the H, the American girlfriend and the memories of the h being berated by the stepmother, where EVERYONE of these condescending snot gulpers denigrate her for being a chauffeur's daughter and not knowing her place, in a variety of ways.
The H manages to throw in some handsy body part gropes, attempted forced seductions and roofie kisses in the midst of telling the h how infantile she is and how she feels and thinks - apparently this h is to have no thoughts or feelings that aren't directed by the H.
There is also the verbal bashing that the h is a tarty tease, when she doesn't want to go to bed with the H because he feels like slumming.
There is a very bizarre scene where the H's American girlfriend tells the h she has to waitress at a party the H is giving and has invited the h to. The h knows something humiliating is up, so she gets a French Maid costume and parades around the party serving drinks in it.
This infuriates the H, as all the men at the party can't help but drool over her statuesque, curvy self. The h and H bicker a lot and the h finds out that the H isn't really dating or sleeping with the American OW - she is just a wanna be.
Then the h starts digging into the company files and finds out the American OW is embezzling. She confronts the OW, who tells the h that if she warns the H about her activities, she will mess up his bid to buy his father's company.
(Apparently the stepmother got the family business and the H got the estate. The stepmother is running the company into the ground and there is serious drama between her and the H. So the H is in the midst of a takeover attempt.)
The h decides she has to tell the H about the embezzlement anyways and the H drags the h off to confront his stepmother. Along the way, the H announces to the h that she loves him. We get to the H's ancestral home and there is a little showdown where the H announces that he is marrying the h, and has sneakily manipulated the American OW and the stepmother out of his father's company.
The H fires the American OW and added a promise to ruin her career, then he kicks the stepmother out of the house. He then wanders off, leaving the h to supervise the stepmother's packing to leave while mooning about her future life with the H.
The H returns to tell the h she will be marrying him and living at the estate and to make sure she is compliant, he lurves her in bed for a very bland HEA.
This one was very boring and mediocre. The continual patronizing and condescending put downs of the h by every main character just went on for too long. Even the H's revenge bit is a tacked on paragraph near the end and these two gave no indications that they were feeling anything but a bit of physical lust.
CM uses the HP approved evil OW standard party line, but with two of them and both being kinda generic run of the mill Evil OW, there wasn't even any interesting wrecky drama. This one is a chore to get through and the HEA was indifferent, so I wouldn't recommend this for an HP outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2022
Suzanne has gone into a meltdown after losing her father. She now binges on chocolates and feels sorry for herself in her mouldy rundown bed sit. She has also lost her job.
The hero who was her father’s employer’s son turns up to commiserate with her for her father’s death.
He sees she’s gone on a bender and because she was his best friend’s sister he takes her to his own apartment.
He gives her a room to stay and a job which pays well.
The other woman who looks like Barbie is the boss.
There is also an evil step mother. Who looks like an older wrinkled but made up Barbie.
The hero and heroine stay in the same house. They don’t appear to eat much. Mostly they drink coffee together. No matter what time it is.
She treats him to a burger and coke. He gives a party where she dresses in a slutty maid costume. There is a transatlantic colleague of hero who follows her around humorously.
The hero is mildly jealous and pounces on her when party ends. They almost sleep with each other but OW comes back pretending she’s left something behind. So abrupt end to that.
He disappears next day. No explanation given
I never got the sense that he’s crazy for her. He seems to think she’s very funny. That is a kind of love I suppose.
He does give indications that he wants her and they almost sleep with each other once or twice.
But she has a rule. No ring. No sex.
So she doesn’t feel hot enough for him to break any rule.
He is the strangest billionaire who has no staff. No team of executives. No legal team. Nothing.
There is just him. The heroine. The other woman. A nice co worker of heroine who fights with girlfriend to pass the time( this was best touch in story)
I liked that the heroine takes the initiative in their intimate moments. She touches him which I’ve not read much in Harlequin romances.
It was weird how he told the heroine to watch the step mother clear out of his ancestral house. Why didn’t he have legal people or flunkies doing it?
How did he suddenly come up with saying I’m marrying Suzanne in front of step mother and OW. He thought so little of heroine? That he used her like a prop in his war?? He should have asked her first. If he respected her. He gives no indication to her that he loves her but in public says I’m marrying her. Odd. Did not come out right to me.
Why did they always drink coffee. No food.
Maybe she had toast once .. and he made pasta in the beginning. Still. So many days together. In the same house. No proper meals eaten!!
He comes home. She’s staying rent free in his apartment. Doesn’t even offer to make him anything.
Ok. That was a personality trait. She couldn’t cook at all. She burnt everything.
The whole story. Wasn’t built up in detail. I feel it is like a rough plot sketch. .. a first draft.
Maybe I’m being overly critical.
It just doesn’t seem well thought out or worked on by author.
I was left wondering what happened to the maid who opened the door to them in the end??!
Why mention her at all?
Did they finally eat something??!!!
Or they made love and slept. And had coffee all of next day and ever after ?
All in all. The book was good. But it had the seeds of being brilliant. Those opportunities were missed I think.
Sorry for disjointed review. I typed a better review and accidentally deleted it.
The hero who was her father’s employer’s son turns up to commiserate with her for her father’s death.
He sees she’s gone on a bender and because she was his best friend’s sister he takes her to his own apartment.
He gives her a room to stay and a job which pays well.
The other woman who looks like Barbie is the boss.
There is also an evil step mother. Who looks like an older wrinkled but made up Barbie.
The hero and heroine stay in the same house. They don’t appear to eat much. Mostly they drink coffee together. No matter what time it is.
She treats him to a burger and coke. He gives a party where she dresses in a slutty maid costume. There is a transatlantic colleague of hero who follows her around humorously.
The hero is mildly jealous and pounces on her when party ends. They almost sleep with each other but OW comes back pretending she’s left something behind. So abrupt end to that.
He disappears next day. No explanation given
I never got the sense that he’s crazy for her. He seems to think she’s very funny. That is a kind of love I suppose.
He does give indications that he wants her and they almost sleep with each other once or twice.
But she has a rule. No ring. No sex.
So she doesn’t feel hot enough for him to break any rule.
He is the strangest billionaire who has no staff. No team of executives. No legal team. Nothing.
There is just him. The heroine. The other woman. A nice co worker of heroine who fights with girlfriend to pass the time( this was best touch in story)
I liked that the heroine takes the initiative in their intimate moments. She touches him which I’ve not read much in Harlequin romances.
It was weird how he told the heroine to watch the step mother clear out of his ancestral house. Why didn’t he have legal people or flunkies doing it?
How did he suddenly come up with saying I’m marrying Suzanne in front of step mother and OW. He thought so little of heroine? That he used her like a prop in his war?? He should have asked her first. If he respected her. He gives no indication to her that he loves her but in public says I’m marrying her. Odd. Did not come out right to me.
Why did they always drink coffee. No food.
Maybe she had toast once .. and he made pasta in the beginning. Still. So many days together. In the same house. No proper meals eaten!!
He comes home. She’s staying rent free in his apartment. Doesn’t even offer to make him anything.
Ok. That was a personality trait. She couldn’t cook at all. She burnt everything.
The whole story. Wasn’t built up in detail. I feel it is like a rough plot sketch. .. a first draft.
Maybe I’m being overly critical.
It just doesn’t seem well thought out or worked on by author.
I was left wondering what happened to the maid who opened the door to them in the end??!
Why mention her at all?
Did they finally eat something??!!!
Or they made love and slept. And had coffee all of next day and ever after ?
All in all. The book was good. But it had the seeds of being brilliant. Those opportunities were missed I think.
Sorry for disjointed review. I typed a better review and accidentally deleted it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2022
Overall this story was a bit disjointed. Alot of fat shaming going on. Heroine acted very erratic, hero just kinda holding her off but sometimes yanking her toward him. I'd say skip, it is not very memorable. Wish the couple had more backstory.
October 20, 2025
I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I FORGAVE/OVERLOOKED IN THESE LITTLE BOOKS! THE FAT-SHAMING, THE WAY HE TALKS TO HER, THAT HE'S ANGRY SHE'S SUCH A TEASE, THAT SHE'S ALWAYS STAMMERING AND GETTING HOT-CHEEKED AND LOSING HER MIND! ANYWAY THIS WAS MY ADOLESCENCE
February 12, 2017
Nice and Relaxing ...a quick read..!!
August 5, 2016
Dane Sutherland was rich, powerful and sinfully gorgeous. He had it all-but he wanted more! He wanted Suzanne...and she was equally determined not to fall into his arms, or his bed!Suzanne had a deep grudge against Dane's family and, besides, he was used to dating petite, elegant women who hung on his every word. Suzanne was too tall, too outspoken....She had to convince Dane she wouldn't make a suitable mistress at all!
It was okay... Nothing particularly memorable though
It was okay... Nothing particularly memorable though
March 30, 2017
5.5 de 5 ¡Recuperé la fe en ti, mi amada Cathy! ¡En verdad que sí! ¡Realmente confiaba que lo harías!
Me dio un montón de risa que después de despotricar sobre el último libro que leí tuyo, en esta ocasión, la villana llevara mi nombre ¡Caray ! ¡Eso en serio que no lo esperaba! Pero fue muy refrescante y divertido de leer.
He vuelto a sentir la magia en tu tintero, querida mía, estos personajes me hicieron volver a sentirme en casa, estoy muy contenta de haberlo leído y no dejarme llevar por la última opinión que tuve, por que por supuesto, todos tenemos altas y bajas, pero para mi, vuelves a estar en la cima!
Todo estuvo muy bien, desde el inicio hasta el final, el desarrollo de los personajes, como fue todo el romance y la trama, igual en este tipo de lecturas hay que ir casi casi que al grano por el número de páginas que deben llevar al igual que el lenguaje, -mira que en eso sí me considero más o menos una experta-, aunque bueno, siempre he sentido que falta un poco de desarrollo en tus finales -creo que es por lo mismo, por las temáticas que se manejan y demás- y en esta ocasión, estuviste excelente (aunque unas dos o tres paginillas más, no hubieran estado mal, eh!
A mis favoritos de la vida, ¡Gracias infinitas, Cathy y que la vida siga bendiciendo ese maravilloso don que se te dio!
Me dio un montón de risa que después de despotricar sobre el último libro que leí tuyo, en esta ocasión, la villana llevara mi nombre ¡Caray ! ¡Eso en serio que no lo esperaba! Pero fue muy refrescante y divertido de leer.
He vuelto a sentir la magia en tu tintero, querida mía, estos personajes me hicieron volver a sentirme en casa, estoy muy contenta de haberlo leído y no dejarme llevar por la última opinión que tuve, por que por supuesto, todos tenemos altas y bajas, pero para mi, vuelves a estar en la cima!
Todo estuvo muy bien, desde el inicio hasta el final, el desarrollo de los personajes, como fue todo el romance y la trama, igual en este tipo de lecturas hay que ir casi casi que al grano por el número de páginas que deben llevar al igual que el lenguaje, -mira que en eso sí me considero más o menos una experta-, aunque bueno, siempre he sentido que falta un poco de desarrollo en tus finales -creo que es por lo mismo, por las temáticas que se manejan y demás- y en esta ocasión, estuviste excelente (aunque unas dos o tres paginillas más, no hubieran estado mal, eh!
A mis favoritos de la vida, ¡Gracias infinitas, Cathy y que la vida siga bendiciendo ese maravilloso don que se te dio!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews