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Fantasy in the Night #2
One Night in His Arms
Still shamed by her teenage crush on Ranulf, Sylvie knew she must convince him they were now on equal terms - and that all they shared now was a business relationship. But her body still ached for him.
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 1998
13 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,124 books668 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 6, 2012
I love Penny Jordan’s stories and always enjoy her books. I was given One Night in His Arms by a friend, one of the few books I don’t have in my collection.
This is a sweet story with some really racy and steamy sex scenes….and hey written in the 90’s!!!
Sylvie Bennett, a gorgeous house restorer from a rich and privilege English family has been in love with Ranulf Carrington, who works as the estate manager in her stepbrother’s country estate, since she can remember. After being rejected by Ran when she had tried to seduce him at 17, she decided that she would carry on with her life without him.
Ten years later they meet again but this time she is not the teenager but a professional woman who is determined for him to meet her on equal terms.
Lots of misunderstandings…..he thinks she had an affair with some ruffian, she is now having an affair with her much older boss….she thinks he hates her, he’s having an affair with another woman….on and on the pages flow with all …..she is…he is…..until finally they discover that they have always loved each other and hurrah…she waited for him to be the first man to make love to her…sweet…….something he never thought would happen. I have to admit I engaged more with Ran than I did with Sylvie….he’s stunning, gorgeous and with a sense of humour…well at times…sometimes I wanted to clobber him…and say…just get the girl…you are what she really wants ….and she is the woman of your dreams…..FIGHT FOR HER….
Everything is cleared up in the end and they fly off into the sunset to have their HEA.
I love the English countryside settings with all those gorgeous homes, fields with sheep and cows, green rolling hills.
So, yes I enjoyed this book.
This is a sweet story with some really racy and steamy sex scenes….and hey written in the 90’s!!!
Sylvie Bennett, a gorgeous house restorer from a rich and privilege English family has been in love with Ranulf Carrington, who works as the estate manager in her stepbrother’s country estate, since she can remember. After being rejected by Ran when she had tried to seduce him at 17, she decided that she would carry on with her life without him.
Ten years later they meet again but this time she is not the teenager but a professional woman who is determined for him to meet her on equal terms.
Lots of misunderstandings…..he thinks she had an affair with some ruffian, she is now having an affair with her much older boss….she thinks he hates her, he’s having an affair with another woman….on and on the pages flow with all …..she is…he is…..until finally they discover that they have always loved each other and hurrah…she waited for him to be the first man to make love to her…sweet…….something he never thought would happen. I have to admit I engaged more with Ran than I did with Sylvie….he’s stunning, gorgeous and with a sense of humour…well at times…sometimes I wanted to clobber him…and say…just get the girl…you are what she really wants ….and she is the woman of your dreams…..FIGHT FOR HER….
Everything is cleared up in the end and they fly off into the sunset to have their HEA.
I love the English countryside settings with all those gorgeous homes, fields with sheep and cows, green rolling hills.
So, yes I enjoyed this book.
April 3, 2019
Re One Night in His Arms - Penny Jordan brings us the second half of her Fantasy in the Night duology. This one features the eco-terrorist teenager who was the dubious girlfriend of the drug dealer and stepsister to the H in the last book Fantasy For Two.
Time has moved on in PJ's Fantasy shire of her part of HPlandia and our h, who realized she was on the wrong path in the last book, has completed her escape from her social snob mother and has also completed her American Uni education - she graduated summa cum laude.
She has also scored a cushy, but intensely detailed job as an Ancestral Estate Renovator for an eccentric American Elderly Billionaire. Yep, PJ gets to indulge in her passion for Grinling Gibbons and brings us the HP Edition of HPlandia This Old House - Ancestral Great Estate Edition.
(There wasn't a lot of reality TV back in the day, 1999 to be precise, so those of us who binge watch HGTV now could only read about it back then or watch PBS if we did not have cable.)
Anyhows, as things go in HPlandia, the h has had a long time yen for the manager of her stepbrother's Great Estate. After a painful H rejection at 17, because the h's snobish, smothering bovine mother had a fit, and an epic Night o'Love with a horrendous fight the morning after when she was 19, the h has to face her great love again.
Our H has inherited a title and his own Great Estate, but has no fortune to restore it to it's NeoClassic Palladian splendour, so he keeps a 10 bedroom Rectory that is included with the Estate to live in and he sells the h's Billionaire Boss the rest.
The h is the lucky renovator who is set to make the Estate Great Again and for once, Grinling Gibbons and Italian-Trained English Mastercraftsmen fail to get her passions up. The h is convinced she hates the H, while he is convinced that she and her elderly boss are lovers and that he will never be good enough for her - tho he might test that theory with his newly inherited social status.
When the two of them meet and greet each other for the first time in years with nary a word, but a very passionate roofie kiss, we can tell we are in for a seething lurve mojo tension time of it. The only question is who is gonna break first, but right after the kissing moment, it full on verbal battle.
After a LOT of PJ's favorite types of Great House Restoration details, we get some backstory about how the h hooked up with the drug dealer evil guy from the last book and how she and the H initially became lovers.
(The H and h got to kissing one time and purple passion swept her 19 yr old self away, the H was too lost in the emotion to pull back and so a deep connection was made while unicorns flew away.
Then the drug dealer guy showed up and the H became incensed, the h told the H that she was getting rid of her chastity to prepare for her affair with the drug dealer and the infuriated H stormed off.)
The h never really slept with the drug dealer guy, she flirted a lot and then he hit her and then she escaped. At the end of the last book there was a big police showdown and the drug dealer evil guy was hauled away.
The h still feels shame over her actions, but she is proud of the fact that she rehabbed herself and changed her life path - but every encounter with the H reasserts the shame that she feels will never go away.
There are some roofie kisses and the elderly billionaire pays a visit. The H is convinced that the h and the billionaire are lovers, mainly because he was told that by the h's meddling snobby snot mother.
So the H pulls a blonde bimbo floozy ex OW of his own in to lure the billionaire away and the h takes that move as the H being contemptuous of her still. (The H tells the h that the beautiful floozy bimbo has the better billionaire catching charms, the h is much to demure.)
This leads the h to a mopey moment and she starts to cry. Since she is staying at the H's house while the restoration goes on, the H feels bad for her tears of pain over losing the Billionaire and starts kissing her to console her. This leads to more lurve club events and yet another misunderstanding.
The H and h both assume that their deep love for each other is unrequited and the h believes the H is rejecting her when he explains that sometimes one person just loves more than the other. So the h decides she can't live with the H or finish the project and makes plans to run away.
The h's stepbrother's wife, the h from the last book, decides these two idiots need some serious meddling to get their heads and their hearts on the same page. So while the elderly billionaire, who dumped the tart after a few days, tries to talk some sense into the h about explaining her feelings to the H, the stepbrother's wife corners the H.
After much discussion about being brave and admitting feelings and huge dropped hints, (okay, it was really outright declarations,) the stepbrother's wife and the billionaire convince the H and h that the other one really does love them.
The H finally runs back to the h and makes his big True Love forever declaration. The h enthusiastically responds with a big 'I Love You' back and we can finally get on with the restoration and there is an intimate little wedding five weeks later.
The H and h finish the Great Estate Revitalization right before their newborn son is to be christened. The H is managing his retained portion of the original land and the h is the new manager of the Great Estate.
She has pre-booked lots of high dollar Estate Rental Events and has the figures to prove that the Estate will pay for itself. So with the H and newborn son all happily lurved and tucked up, and also with the newly revamped Estate in hand, the h announces her second expected stork visit and all is Rosy Pink Sparkly Rainbows in PJ's HPlandia once again.
Time has moved on in PJ's Fantasy shire of her part of HPlandia and our h, who realized she was on the wrong path in the last book, has completed her escape from her social snob mother and has also completed her American Uni education - she graduated summa cum laude.
She has also scored a cushy, but intensely detailed job as an Ancestral Estate Renovator for an eccentric American Elderly Billionaire. Yep, PJ gets to indulge in her passion for Grinling Gibbons and brings us the HP Edition of HPlandia This Old House - Ancestral Great Estate Edition.
(There wasn't a lot of reality TV back in the day, 1999 to be precise, so those of us who binge watch HGTV now could only read about it back then or watch PBS if we did not have cable.)
Anyhows, as things go in HPlandia, the h has had a long time yen for the manager of her stepbrother's Great Estate. After a painful H rejection at 17, because the h's snobish, smothering bovine mother had a fit, and an epic Night o'Love with a horrendous fight the morning after when she was 19, the h has to face her great love again.
Our H has inherited a title and his own Great Estate, but has no fortune to restore it to it's NeoClassic Palladian splendour, so he keeps a 10 bedroom Rectory that is included with the Estate to live in and he sells the h's Billionaire Boss the rest.
The h is the lucky renovator who is set to make the Estate Great Again and for once, Grinling Gibbons and Italian-Trained English Mastercraftsmen fail to get her passions up. The h is convinced she hates the H, while he is convinced that she and her elderly boss are lovers and that he will never be good enough for her - tho he might test that theory with his newly inherited social status.
When the two of them meet and greet each other for the first time in years with nary a word, but a very passionate roofie kiss, we can tell we are in for a seething lurve mojo tension time of it. The only question is who is gonna break first, but right after the kissing moment, it full on verbal battle.
After a LOT of PJ's favorite types of Great House Restoration details, we get some backstory about how the h hooked up with the drug dealer evil guy from the last book and how she and the H initially became lovers.
(The H and h got to kissing one time and purple passion swept her 19 yr old self away, the H was too lost in the emotion to pull back and so a deep connection was made while unicorns flew away.
Then the drug dealer guy showed up and the H became incensed, the h told the H that she was getting rid of her chastity to prepare for her affair with the drug dealer and the infuriated H stormed off.)
The h never really slept with the drug dealer guy, she flirted a lot and then he hit her and then she escaped. At the end of the last book there was a big police showdown and the drug dealer evil guy was hauled away.
The h still feels shame over her actions, but she is proud of the fact that she rehabbed herself and changed her life path - but every encounter with the H reasserts the shame that she feels will never go away.
There are some roofie kisses and the elderly billionaire pays a visit. The H is convinced that the h and the billionaire are lovers, mainly because he was told that by the h's meddling snobby snot mother.
So the H pulls a blonde bimbo floozy ex OW of his own in to lure the billionaire away and the h takes that move as the H being contemptuous of her still. (The H tells the h that the beautiful floozy bimbo has the better billionaire catching charms, the h is much to demure.)
This leads the h to a mopey moment and she starts to cry. Since she is staying at the H's house while the restoration goes on, the H feels bad for her tears of pain over losing the Billionaire and starts kissing her to console her. This leads to more lurve club events and yet another misunderstanding.
The H and h both assume that their deep love for each other is unrequited and the h believes the H is rejecting her when he explains that sometimes one person just loves more than the other. So the h decides she can't live with the H or finish the project and makes plans to run away.
The h's stepbrother's wife, the h from the last book, decides these two idiots need some serious meddling to get their heads and their hearts on the same page. So while the elderly billionaire, who dumped the tart after a few days, tries to talk some sense into the h about explaining her feelings to the H, the stepbrother's wife corners the H.
After much discussion about being brave and admitting feelings and huge dropped hints, (okay, it was really outright declarations,) the stepbrother's wife and the billionaire convince the H and h that the other one really does love them.
The H finally runs back to the h and makes his big True Love forever declaration. The h enthusiastically responds with a big 'I Love You' back and we can finally get on with the restoration and there is an intimate little wedding five weeks later.
The H and h finish the Great Estate Revitalization right before their newborn son is to be christened. The H is managing his retained portion of the original land and the h is the new manager of the Great Estate.
She has pre-booked lots of high dollar Estate Rental Events and has the figures to prove that the Estate will pay for itself. So with the H and newborn son all happily lurved and tucked up, and also with the newly revamped Estate in hand, the h announces her second expected stork visit and all is Rosy Pink Sparkly Rainbows in PJ's HPlandia once again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2018
I just couldn't with these two. They both loved each other but were afraid to say it, so they suffered from various misunderstandings throughout the entire story.
The heroine was a poor little rich girl from Fantasy For Two. Since the hero spurned her love at 17, she ended up with a group of travelers who trashed her stepbrother's estate. After the hero took her virginity at 19, she finally got her head together, got a university degree and now works for a private trust fund that restores old houses. (PJ's dream job)
The hero, who managed her stepbrother's estate, now owns his own manor house thanks to a cousin conveniently dying young with no heirs. He has sold the manor house to the trust and the H/h meet again when the heroine arrives to oversee the restoration.
Heroine kept saying things she didn't mean. Hero is a nice enough guy and obviously feels he's finally worthy of the heroine's status. (She had a snob of a mother). But they each think the other has a lover. They do fall into bed together, but even hot sex can't clear up the confusions. The stepbrother's wife manages to find out the entire story from the heroine, and then she talks sense to the hero.
I find it's always a bad sign when an outsider is the only way for an H/h to come together. But I'm not surprised. These two were not the sharpest knives in the drawer, so to speak.
The heroine was a poor little rich girl from Fantasy For Two. Since the hero spurned her love at 17, she ended up with a group of travelers who trashed her stepbrother's estate. After the hero took her virginity at 19, she finally got her head together, got a university degree and now works for a private trust fund that restores old houses. (PJ's dream job)
The hero, who managed her stepbrother's estate, now owns his own manor house thanks to a cousin conveniently dying young with no heirs. He has sold the manor house to the trust and the H/h meet again when the heroine arrives to oversee the restoration.
Heroine kept saying things she didn't mean. Hero is a nice enough guy and obviously feels he's finally worthy of the heroine's status. (She had a snob of a mother). But they each think the other has a lover. They do fall into bed together, but even hot sex can't clear up the confusions. The stepbrother's wife manages to find out the entire story from the heroine, and then she talks sense to the hero.
I find it's always a bad sign when an outsider is the only way for an H/h to come together. But I'm not surprised. These two were not the sharpest knives in the drawer, so to speak.
December 28, 2019
Wow,what a fascinating,angsty and sexy read between the reunited lovers Ran Carrington and Sylvie Bennet.It hurt so good to see them loving each other so much,but hiding that love between a cold barrier.They were like magnets that were meant to be,and never could resist each other.Penny Jordan draws out the misunderstandings so well that i was shouting with happiness after the end."One Night in his arms" is a splendid keeper,and something i will remember well by Ran`s ever loyal and eternal love for his heroine.I just love him to pieces and find him so sexy that it hurt in my heart to read through his POV.The sex-scenes were so mindblowingly hot that i had to take a few pauses in between.God bless you Penny Jordan,and thank you so much for this stimulating experience.
***
‘Even if you had managed to run away from me,’ Ran had told her only the previous night, ‘sooner or later I would have seen Rory, and once I had I would have known that he was mine and then...’
‘And then...?’ Sylvie had demanded challengingly.
‘And then I would have remembered how he came into being and then somehow I’d have found a way to become a part of his life— and yours,’ Ran had told her quietly.
‘Because he’s your son?’ she had asked him.
‘Because you’re my woman...my love...’ Ran had corrected her.
-Ran and Sylvie
***
‘Even if you had managed to run away from me,’ Ran had told her only the previous night, ‘sooner or later I would have seen Rory, and once I had I would have known that he was mine and then...’
‘And then...?’ Sylvie had demanded challengingly.
‘And then I would have remembered how he came into being and then somehow I’d have found a way to become a part of his life— and yours,’ Ran had told her quietly.
‘Because he’s your son?’ she had asked him.
‘Because you’re my woman...my love...’ Ran had corrected her.
-Ran and Sylvie
January 5, 2020
4.5 stars
If you're like me, you'll devour this second-chance romance for the passion, angst and longing which made for some intense reading.
Ranulf (Ran) and Sylvie were two people kept apart by good intentions, misunderstandings and jealousy. I could really feel their mutual heartache because unfulfilled, passionate love hurts. But Ran—noble, misguided Ran—rejected Sylvie for her own good, commencing a period of misery for both of them. He believed he was doing what was best for the then-teenaged Sylvie, not understanding that being with him would make Sylvie happy, and always would. (It just goes to show that doing what one thinks is best for someone else isn't fair when the other person isn't allowed a say in the matter.) Ran, prodded on by another character, finally came to his senses before it was too late, and seized his woman in a very romantic ending.
So I really enjoyed this book, but what's up with the cover artwork? Sylvie seems afflicted with a stiff back and neck, while Ran looks 17. Anyway, anyone thinking of reading this shouldn't avoid it just because of the cover.
If you're like me, you'll devour this second-chance romance for the passion, angst and longing which made for some intense reading.
Ranulf (Ran) and Sylvie were two people kept apart by good intentions, misunderstandings and jealousy. I could really feel their mutual heartache because unfulfilled, passionate love hurts. But Ran—noble, misguided Ran—rejected Sylvie for her own good, commencing a period of misery for both of them. He believed he was doing what was best for the then-teenaged Sylvie, not understanding that being with him would make Sylvie happy, and always would. (It just goes to show that doing what one thinks is best for someone else isn't fair when the other person isn't allowed a say in the matter.) Ran, prodded on by another character, finally came to his senses before it was too late, and seized his woman in a very romantic ending.
So I really enjoyed this book, but what's up with the cover artwork? Sylvie seems afflicted with a stiff back and neck, while Ran looks 17. Anyway, anyone thinking of reading this shouldn't avoid it just because of the cover.
April 30, 2022
First reading
November 2015
I will write a review soon...
Update
April 30/2022
And I never wrote it 🙈🙊 One more to add in my reread list.
November 2015
I will write a review soon...
Update
April 30/2022
And I never wrote it 🙈🙊 One more to add in my reread list.
October 7, 2013
Sylvie a rich, beautiful English beauty has been in love with Ran who is a worker in her stepbrother’s country estate, since she was a teenager. After being rejected by Ran at 17 she tries to put the past behind her and starts a new life away from him. Ten years later Sylvie's boss sends her to work for Ranulf. That proves to be a very difficult assignment especially when she realizes that nothing has changed. She is still desperately in love with Ran and she never got over him.
There are lots of misunderstandings. He thinks she is in love with her older boss, she thinks he is dating another woman, he thinks she is too good for him, she thinks he can never love her the way she loves him.
Hero was charming and dreamy. He was a prince in disguise as far as I'm concerned. He knew what he wanted and it was Sylvie. He can’t stop thinking about her. When they kiss, he can’t get her out of his head. If he rejects her it's because he tries to do the right, the honorable thing. Sylvie's heart and soul belong to Ran and she is hopelessly devoted to him. Will they finally admit their feelings before it's too late?
I enjoyed it a lot. A nice, light cheesy read with a super sweet epilogue :)
There are lots of misunderstandings. He thinks she is in love with her older boss, she thinks he is dating another woman, he thinks she is too good for him, she thinks he can never love her the way she loves him.
Hero was charming and dreamy. He was a prince in disguise as far as I'm concerned. He knew what he wanted and it was Sylvie. He can’t stop thinking about her. When they kiss, he can’t get her out of his head. If he rejects her it's because he tries to do the right, the honorable thing. Sylvie's heart and soul belong to Ran and she is hopelessly devoted to him. Will they finally admit their feelings before it's too late?
I enjoyed it a lot. A nice, light cheesy read with a super sweet epilogue :)
April 3, 2019
"One Night in His Arms" is the story of Sylvie and Ranulf.
A story of relentless longing and unrequited love, this book has a couple that has pined for each other for too long.
Our h was in love with our H, way before she understood the meaning of the word. He was her brother's best friend, and despite her family's disapproval due to his lower social status, she still wanted him. That is, until one night he cruelly rejects her.
Years later, now she is a grown up and successful woman, who thinks she is totally over the H. When she gets the appointment to renovate his home, she thinks it is the best way to prove to herself that she is immune..that is until she meets him.. and sparks fly!
Seems that they both cannot keep their hands off each other. Every time they touch each other, his hands land on her butt and his mouth on her plump nips. But both are filled with misapprehensions- he thinks she is in relationship with her boss, she thinks he is with OW. They both desperately want one another, absolutely YEARN for the other, but cannot do anything about it..until they do.. and yet it ends in a bittersweet separation, until her SIL intervenes.
A very, very sweet love story with a couple who is crazy about one another but does not get the C of communication. The H rejects the h due to difference in their finances, and her snooty mother; the rejection causes immense heartbreak for both and they spend years pining for one another. There is a surprise flashback at about 60% point, which kind of threw me off, but did not take away from the sugar overdose.
This did get a tad bit tiring, but the epilogue sort of made up for it, especially the OTT happy ending they got.
SWE/Unsafe
3.25/5
A story of relentless longing and unrequited love, this book has a couple that has pined for each other for too long.
Our h was in love with our H, way before she understood the meaning of the word. He was her brother's best friend, and despite her family's disapproval due to his lower social status, she still wanted him. That is, until one night he cruelly rejects her.
Years later, now she is a grown up and successful woman, who thinks she is totally over the H. When she gets the appointment to renovate his home, she thinks it is the best way to prove to herself that she is immune..that is until she meets him.. and sparks fly!
Seems that they both cannot keep their hands off each other. Every time they touch each other, his hands land on her butt and his mouth on her plump nips. But both are filled with misapprehensions- he thinks she is in relationship with her boss, she thinks he is with OW. They both desperately want one another, absolutely YEARN for the other, but cannot do anything about it..until they do.. and yet it ends in a bittersweet separation, until her SIL intervenes.
A very, very sweet love story with a couple who is crazy about one another but does not get the C of communication. The H rejects the h due to difference in their finances, and her snooty mother; the rejection causes immense heartbreak for both and they spend years pining for one another. There is a surprise flashback at about 60% point, which kind of threw me off, but did not take away from the sugar overdose.
This did get a tad bit tiring, but the epilogue sort of made up for it, especially the OTT happy ending they got.
SWE/Unsafe
3.25/5
December 30, 2019
I decided to give this 90’s Harlequin a try because it was short and oh my ... it was one of the best decisions.
At first I was little put off by the fact that our MCs kiss almost at every meeting. But as the background story gets revealed to us, it starts to make more and more sense.
This is really magnetic relationship being held off by misunderstanding which is a trope I normally don’t like but this time it worked. It was little sad, little angsty but also very very sweet. I was entranced by this story.
Sylvie and Ran are just so cute and their relationship has all the marks of being epic and of course very sexy.
I should also note that special 90’s feeling of this book - that time of white t-shirts and jeans, when women were working hard to be independent career professionals. In this sense it feels a little dated but love in its aspect is ageless and so is the telling of this story.
I would recommend this to anyone.
At first I was little put off by the fact that our MCs kiss almost at every meeting. But as the background story gets revealed to us, it starts to make more and more sense.
This is really magnetic relationship being held off by misunderstanding which is a trope I normally don’t like but this time it worked. It was little sad, little angsty but also very very sweet. I was entranced by this story.
Sylvie and Ran are just so cute and their relationship has all the marks of being epic and of course very sexy.
I should also note that special 90’s feeling of this book - that time of white t-shirts and jeans, when women were working hard to be independent career professionals. In this sense it feels a little dated but love in its aspect is ageless and so is the telling of this story.
I would recommend this to anyone.
September 13, 2025
Re-read in sept 2025. Must be fourth or fifth time. Upgraded it to five stars.
( I just wrote a whole review and my battery went kaplunk and I lost all of it. There should be temporary storage and retrieval possible no??
We lose all our thoughtfully written words sometimes.
Anyway. Here goes. I’ll write it again. )
Sylvie comes from a wealthy English background. Her father has left her money. They used to live in Belgravia. Then her mother remarries an Earl and they move to his country seat when Sylvie is thirteen or fourteen. Sylvie’s step brother Alex is very fond of her and kind too. His best friend is the estate manager, Ran. Ran comes from a noble lineage but he has no money. He knows he can give his wife nothing. He dates wealthy divorcees.
Slowly and surely Sylvie gets obsessed with Ran. She is beautiful and has that allure that wealthy girls have. Spoilt. Her obsession is reluctantly returned by Ran but he gives no sign of it. He pretends he finds her very irritating. She’s too young.
She is rich. He is not. Her mother and step brother have already warned him off.
Sylvie keeps throwing herself at him and when she’s 19 and at university he succumbs. But he backtracks. Says it means nothing. She also tells him he means nothing to her. She goes haywire. Gets in with a bad lot. Gets a boyfriend. She’s rescued and shipped off to America. She goes to Vassar and completes her education.
She takes a job with a wealthy eccentric American who buys heritage properties everywhere, restores them and opens them to the public ..
In ten years Ran inherits a baronetcy with a country restate and money. He sells off the crumbling house which is impossible to maintain and moves to the rectory which he retains with the land.
Sylvie’s mother who has moved to London meets Ran there and she is now effusive and quite pleased. She wouldn’t mind if he were to marry her daughter now.
Sylvie comes back to restore Ran’s family home and they are in each other’s arms the minute they meet. They both keep saying nasty things to each other and feeling hurt. They even sleep with each other. The moment they do Sylvie starts planning to do a runner. Ran retires hurt to Alex’s country estate. That’s when Alex’s wife comes and gives him a talking to. Tells him that Sylvie has always loved him and continues to do so and she has no idea that he loves her back.
He goes and talks to Sylvie.
Story ends with an epilogue. A baby’s christening and another on the way.
I think it’s a lovely story. Very simple. I liked both the characters. Both of them were sweet.
Will of course re-read this one.
********
I loved how the hero tries to do the honourable thing and stay away. Though perhaps he’s as crazy about her as she is about him.
It does get a tad boring towards the end.
Still this is one of PJ’s better ones according to me.
The fact that they both lusted for each other was kind of poignant.
I definitely think it deserves four stars. It’s one of her books I can re-read after a while.
( I just wrote a whole review and my battery went kaplunk and I lost all of it. There should be temporary storage and retrieval possible no??
We lose all our thoughtfully written words sometimes.
Anyway. Here goes. I’ll write it again. )
Sylvie comes from a wealthy English background. Her father has left her money. They used to live in Belgravia. Then her mother remarries an Earl and they move to his country seat when Sylvie is thirteen or fourteen. Sylvie’s step brother Alex is very fond of her and kind too. His best friend is the estate manager, Ran. Ran comes from a noble lineage but he has no money. He knows he can give his wife nothing. He dates wealthy divorcees.
Slowly and surely Sylvie gets obsessed with Ran. She is beautiful and has that allure that wealthy girls have. Spoilt. Her obsession is reluctantly returned by Ran but he gives no sign of it. He pretends he finds her very irritating. She’s too young.
She is rich. He is not. Her mother and step brother have already warned him off.
Sylvie keeps throwing herself at him and when she’s 19 and at university he succumbs. But he backtracks. Says it means nothing. She also tells him he means nothing to her. She goes haywire. Gets in with a bad lot. Gets a boyfriend. She’s rescued and shipped off to America. She goes to Vassar and completes her education.
She takes a job with a wealthy eccentric American who buys heritage properties everywhere, restores them and opens them to the public ..
In ten years Ran inherits a baronetcy with a country restate and money. He sells off the crumbling house which is impossible to maintain and moves to the rectory which he retains with the land.
Sylvie’s mother who has moved to London meets Ran there and she is now effusive and quite pleased. She wouldn’t mind if he were to marry her daughter now.
Sylvie comes back to restore Ran’s family home and they are in each other’s arms the minute they meet. They both keep saying nasty things to each other and feeling hurt. They even sleep with each other. The moment they do Sylvie starts planning to do a runner. Ran retires hurt to Alex’s country estate. That’s when Alex’s wife comes and gives him a talking to. Tells him that Sylvie has always loved him and continues to do so and she has no idea that he loves her back.
He goes and talks to Sylvie.
Story ends with an epilogue. A baby’s christening and another on the way.
I think it’s a lovely story. Very simple. I liked both the characters. Both of them were sweet.
Will of course re-read this one.
********
I loved how the hero tries to do the honourable thing and stay away. Though perhaps he’s as crazy about her as she is about him.
It does get a tad boring towards the end.
Still this is one of PJ’s better ones according to me.
The fact that they both lusted for each other was kind of poignant.
I definitely think it deserves four stars. It’s one of her books I can re-read after a while.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2023
Not the right feels. The h and H have a lot of baggage. They blame each other and think the worse of each other, kinda like an old bickering couple. Didn’t see dear love pick up for them post their second chance meeting.
The h and H are in reverse roles now. Earlier the h was the mistress of the house, her brother an earl and the H an estate worker. Now the H is some next tycoon who owns the estate where the h is doing restoration work.
The H as a poor lowly employee left a trail of bad mojo and I couldn’t see him as a rich, authoritative guy. The h was stubborn and I couldn’t see beyond the MCs blame game. If I felt any sparks I’m sure I’d stay back and continue but I had to give up at some sleep inducing point in my reading.
The h and H are in reverse roles now. Earlier the h was the mistress of the house, her brother an earl and the H an estate worker. Now the H is some next tycoon who owns the estate where the h is doing restoration work.
The H as a poor lowly employee left a trail of bad mojo and I couldn’t see him as a rich, authoritative guy. The h was stubborn and I couldn’t see beyond the MCs blame game. If I felt any sparks I’m sure I’d stay back and continue but I had to give up at some sleep inducing point in my reading.
August 18, 2022
3-3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I really miss Penny Jordan.
I am not going to lie, there were times while reading this where I wanted to bang my head in a wall.
or quite honestly bang the hero and heroines heads together
The hero Ran(33 ish) loves the heroine Sylvie(23 ish) . The great news is that Sylvie loves the hero right back. Sounds like that should be a straight forward, end of story scenario.
However, this is a PJ book, so there is no way the 2 of them are going to get off that easy.
The H has had feelings for the h since she was 16. But he isn’t pervy, so he would never think about making the moves on her. The h makes it very difficult for him. She is in love with the H and really ramps up her moves when she turns 17. The hero rejects her and her come ons, and decides to date women he can score with but doesn’t have to marry(PJ doesn’t focus on this, it is just mentioned). It isn’t just the h’s age, but the hero is best friends and works with the h’s stepbrother. So no wealthy Lord or the Manor here(at least not yet). He also overhears the h’s mother who knows her daughter has a crush on the H and she wants the step son to squash it. The H is not rich nor is he titled. Momma wants more for her daughter.
The h heads off to University where she studies hard and dreams of the H despite his rejection. She gets in with the wrong crowd(but surprisingly keeps her morals in tact). Anyhoo the H comes to drop off money to her at the University and sees her in a compromising position with Wayne, the local drug dealer. His eyes turn green and when the 19 year old h invites him in for coffee he decides to take her up on it.
After being rejected, by the hero and making some bad choices, the h realizes she needs a fresh start, so her brother, sil, and the H watch her take off on a plane to NYC where she continues her education
Anyway, I don’t want to bog this down too much with details, because PJ will give you details; lots of details. Suffice it to say the h’s job brings her to the H’s abode. He has inherited property and a title. Part of the property he has sold in trust to her boss, and now it is her job to organize the restoration. He lives at the 10 bedroom rectory which also needs work, but this is where the h will be staying.
The rest of the story are these two talking at each other but never really listening. They definitely are not good at picking up on body language. He loves her and is tormented by the fact that she doesn’t love him. She loves him and is tortured by the fact that he doesn’t love her. Both are so scared of being rejected, that neither one of them explain their thoughts. Even after they finally have sex, they talk around each other. He thinks she slept with him because she is in love with her 60 some year old boss who left with what she thought was the H’s gf. So she thinks he slept with her because, well, free sex!
Ugh, it finally comes to a point where she is going to leave while the H is visiting her brother. He is visiting the brother because he didn’t want to be around her when her “lover” visited. Thank goodness for Molly(I haven’t read her story yet, not very good ratings for it). Molly is the sister in law. She knows the 2 love each other so she tells the hero everything she knows. Convinced he races back to his house just in time to stop the h from leaving. They clear the misunderstandings up and have their emphatic avowals of love for each other.
Great News!….
*the h and H have both been celibate since she was 19(maybe even earlier)
*the stepbrother doesn’t have a big role, but he is a good step brother and married a good woman. Their story: Fantasy For Two
*the h’s mom doesn’t have a big role. We know she has snobbery issues, but she was more than happy when the H became titled. Interesting note, the h’s thoughts show us that her mom loved her dad and the stepdad. So, she must not be too bad.
*thoughts….yep you get to see the H’s tortured thoughts as well as the h’s. This plays well to my angst needs and some of my frustration.
*there is a non ow wannabe, but she cause jealousy and misunderstandings for the h
*there is a non om, the h’s boss. He sees her as a daughter. The H didn’t realize that so his jealousy causes some more angst
*There is a sweet epilogue
My lol moment: When the h and H have sex, she knows that they have made a baby and already has plans to raise the child as a single mom since the H doesn’t love her. When they get together for the HEA the H remarks on how he knows she is with child(sex was 24 hours ago). Hey when you know you know I guess.
I am not going to lie, there were times while reading this where I wanted to bang my head in a wall.
or quite honestly bang the hero and heroines heads together
The hero Ran(33 ish) loves the heroine Sylvie(23 ish) . The great news is that Sylvie loves the hero right back. Sounds like that should be a straight forward, end of story scenario.
However, this is a PJ book, so there is no way the 2 of them are going to get off that easy.
The H has had feelings for the h since she was 16. But he isn’t pervy, so he would never think about making the moves on her. The h makes it very difficult for him. She is in love with the H and really ramps up her moves when she turns 17. The hero rejects her and her come ons, and decides to date women he can score with but doesn’t have to marry(PJ doesn’t focus on this, it is just mentioned). It isn’t just the h’s age, but the hero is best friends and works with the h’s stepbrother. So no wealthy Lord or the Manor here(at least not yet). He also overhears the h’s mother who knows her daughter has a crush on the H and she wants the step son to squash it. The H is not rich nor is he titled. Momma wants more for her daughter.
The h heads off to University where she studies hard and dreams of the H despite his rejection. She gets in with the wrong crowd(but surprisingly keeps her morals in tact). Anyhoo the H comes to drop off money to her at the University and sees her in a compromising position with Wayne, the local drug dealer. His eyes turn green and when the 19 year old h invites him in for coffee he decides to take her up on it.
After being rejected, by the hero and making some bad choices, the h realizes she needs a fresh start, so her brother, sil, and the H watch her take off on a plane to NYC where she continues her education
Anyway, I don’t want to bog this down too much with details, because PJ will give you details; lots of details. Suffice it to say the h’s job brings her to the H’s abode. He has inherited property and a title. Part of the property he has sold in trust to her boss, and now it is her job to organize the restoration. He lives at the 10 bedroom rectory which also needs work, but this is where the h will be staying.
The rest of the story are these two talking at each other but never really listening. They definitely are not good at picking up on body language. He loves her and is tormented by the fact that she doesn’t love him. She loves him and is tortured by the fact that he doesn’t love her. Both are so scared of being rejected, that neither one of them explain their thoughts. Even after they finally have sex, they talk around each other. He thinks she slept with him because she is in love with her 60 some year old boss who left with what she thought was the H’s gf. So she thinks he slept with her because, well, free sex!
Ugh, it finally comes to a point where she is going to leave while the H is visiting her brother. He is visiting the brother because he didn’t want to be around her when her “lover” visited. Thank goodness for Molly(I haven’t read her story yet, not very good ratings for it). Molly is the sister in law. She knows the 2 love each other so she tells the hero everything she knows. Convinced he races back to his house just in time to stop the h from leaving. They clear the misunderstandings up and have their emphatic avowals of love for each other.
Great News!….
*the h and H have both been celibate since she was 19(maybe even earlier)
*the stepbrother doesn’t have a big role, but he is a good step brother and married a good woman. Their story: Fantasy For Two
*the h’s mom doesn’t have a big role. We know she has snobbery issues, but she was more than happy when the H became titled. Interesting note, the h’s thoughts show us that her mom loved her dad and the stepdad. So, she must not be too bad.
*thoughts….yep you get to see the H’s tortured thoughts as well as the h’s. This plays well to my angst needs and some of my frustration.
*there is a non ow wannabe, but she cause jealousy and misunderstandings for the h
*there is a non om, the h’s boss. He sees her as a daughter. The H didn’t realize that so his jealousy causes some more angst
*There is a sweet epilogue
My lol moment: When the h and H have sex, she knows that they have made a baby and already has plans to raise the child as a single mom since the H doesn’t love her. When they get together for the HEA the H remarks on how he knows she is with child(sex was 24 hours ago). Hey when you know you know I guess.
December 9, 2019
"One Night in His Arms" by Penny Jordan was Harlequin Presents #2002, published in Jan. 1999. I give it 3 stars because it was an enjoyable book but I felt it had some minor flaws in both the writing style and characterization. The strongest aspect of the novel is the premise of renovating an old estate, which makes the reader feel like they are getting a behind the scenes view of a tourist attraction.
The writing flashes backwards & forwards in time to fill in the gaps in the reader's knowledge about the characters' history, although I sometimes felt that important facts were only revealed later (such as that Ran and Sylvie had made love prior to her leaving the UK). Sometimes the writing style is a little convoluted, like on page 48 which consists of only 5-and-a-half sentences. The author also occasionally mentions the "maleness" of Ran, which gets a little silly when she refers to him (on page 150) as "a very male man."
Another thing I didn't like is how all of the problems between the two lovers was due to lack of communication, miscommunication and misunderstandings. If the two had simply spoken honestly and not assumed that they were sleeping with other people, then a lot of their problems could have been avoided. Sure, they get it all resolved 10 pages before the novel ends. But realistically, what kind of stable relationship could two such distrustful people have in real life? One can imagine the same miscommunication problems happening again, destroying their relationship.
The cover image seemed a bit off to me at first, but the scene does occur later in the book when Ran discovers a sleepwalking Sylvie and carries her to his bed.
So, to sum up, an OK novel, but for me not a keeper.
The writing flashes backwards & forwards in time to fill in the gaps in the reader's knowledge about the characters' history, although I sometimes felt that important facts were only revealed later (such as that Ran and Sylvie had made love prior to her leaving the UK). Sometimes the writing style is a little convoluted, like on page 48 which consists of only 5-and-a-half sentences. The author also occasionally mentions the "maleness" of Ran, which gets a little silly when she refers to him (on page 150) as "a very male man."
Another thing I didn't like is how all of the problems between the two lovers was due to lack of communication, miscommunication and misunderstandings. If the two had simply spoken honestly and not assumed that they were sleeping with other people, then a lot of their problems could have been avoided. Sure, they get it all resolved 10 pages before the novel ends. But realistically, what kind of stable relationship could two such distrustful people have in real life? One can imagine the same miscommunication problems happening again, destroying their relationship.
The cover image seemed a bit off to me at first, but the scene does occur later in the book when Ran discovers a sleepwalking Sylvie and carries her to his bed.
So, to sum up, an OK novel, but for me not a keeper.
August 31, 2021
This was disappointing. I usually like Penny Jordan’s vintage HP’s, so it surprises me that I didn’t like this book. I think I am the only one who didn’t like it.
I especially didn’t like the fact that a major part of the book consists of very detailed and long flashbacks. In the flashbacks we even get to read what she was wearing. I prefer a book in which the flashbacks are kept to a minimum and the action is taking place in the present.
And this is a very flawed H. He is not the strong type and I do wonder if he is truly in love with her. He made no effort to get her back. They meet only by coincidence after 10 years. Otherwise they still wouldn’t have met in 2021. 🙄
She was 17 when she threw herself at him. I can understand he rejected her then because of her age (he is 10 years older than she is), but the book starts when they meet again after 10 (!) years. 10 years to have a HEA, that is way too long. What a waste of life.
And what I didn’t like: he was really cruel after their first night together when she was 19 and she lost her virginity to him. The first thing he said the morning after, was that it was a mistake and that she was just a child. Well, that didn’t stop him the night before, so why throw it in her face the next morning! What a “mature” thing to do. Not.
He is also too dependent on what other people say. Her mother doesn’t think he is good enough for her daughter. He is taking his humiliation out on the h who knows nothing of what her mother had said to him.
And also: he first has to hear from the h’s stepsister-in-law that the h loves him before he dares to go and say to the h that he loves her. Nahh, what a coward.
Other than that, he would have just let her live her life with the OM. He doesn’t fight for what he wants, assuming that it’s the h he wants.
My favourite H’s are the smitten, determined, alpha male H’a who do everything to get the h and who are open about their feelings for the h’s. The relentless pursuit, the chase, is what makes a HP a romance in my opinion.
But this H isn’t chasing anything.
I especially didn’t like the fact that a major part of the book consists of very detailed and long flashbacks. In the flashbacks we even get to read what she was wearing. I prefer a book in which the flashbacks are kept to a minimum and the action is taking place in the present.
And this is a very flawed H. He is not the strong type and I do wonder if he is truly in love with her. He made no effort to get her back. They meet only by coincidence after 10 years. Otherwise they still wouldn’t have met in 2021. 🙄
She was 17 when she threw herself at him. I can understand he rejected her then because of her age (he is 10 years older than she is), but the book starts when they meet again after 10 (!) years. 10 years to have a HEA, that is way too long. What a waste of life.
And what I didn’t like: he was really cruel after their first night together when she was 19 and she lost her virginity to him. The first thing he said the morning after, was that it was a mistake and that she was just a child. Well, that didn’t stop him the night before, so why throw it in her face the next morning! What a “mature” thing to do. Not.
He is also too dependent on what other people say. Her mother doesn’t think he is good enough for her daughter. He is taking his humiliation out on the h who knows nothing of what her mother had said to him.
And also: he first has to hear from the h’s stepsister-in-law that the h loves him before he dares to go and say to the h that he loves her. Nahh, what a coward.
Other than that, he would have just let her live her life with the OM. He doesn’t fight for what he wants, assuming that it’s the h he wants.
My favourite H’s are the smitten, determined, alpha male H’a who do everything to get the h and who are open about their feelings for the h’s. The relentless pursuit, the chase, is what makes a HP a romance in my opinion.
But this H isn’t chasing anything.
Read
October 17, 2017Can't finish this one. It is too flimsy and juvenile.
April 12, 2014
Liked it so much.
Ran's kind of hero that made you swoon. He's brooding one, but because he loved her so much. He just felt he didn't deserved her and couldn't afford her. You see, Ran's not Present typical hero, he's not rich, he's only a decent estate manager (for her stepbrother, to make it worse) until he inherited an estate from some uncle. Plus, there's a lot of misunderstanding.
He always thought he's just a replacement for men he thought she loved, whereas he's the one.
She thought he didn't love her and had a relationship with OW (not worth it), whereas he loved her so much he'd been celibate for a looong time.
The plot's quick. Even after years didn't see each other, 5 seconds they saw each other they already had their tongues down each other's throat. How romantic.
I totally love how they both devoted to each other, and there's no one else for them as well. Not really angsty, so if you like a mild romance with i-love-you-a-long-time trope, this one's for you. A sweet romance.
Ran's kind of hero that made you swoon. He's brooding one, but because he loved her so much. He just felt he didn't deserved her and couldn't afford her. You see, Ran's not Present typical hero, he's not rich, he's only a decent estate manager (for her stepbrother, to make it worse) until he inherited an estate from some uncle. Plus, there's a lot of misunderstanding.
He always thought he's just a replacement for men he thought she loved, whereas he's the one.
She thought he didn't love her and had a relationship with OW (not worth it), whereas he loved her so much he'd been celibate for a looong time.
The plot's quick. Even after years didn't see each other, 5 seconds they saw each other they already had their tongues down each other's throat. How romantic.
I totally love how they both devoted to each other, and there's no one else for them as well. Not really angsty, so if you like a mild romance with i-love-you-a-long-time trope, this one's for you. A sweet romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2014
Not good at all. Woman with a successful career can do nothing right in the presence of man.
July 28, 2025
Sylvie is the 17 year old step-sister of Alex, and Ran (27) is Alex's best friend.
When Sylvie's 17, she and Ran work together over the summer at Alex's estate, doing some groundskeeping. She falls in love with Ran and confesses her love. Ran tells her she's off limits as Alex's step-sister, and because she's too young. She plans to make him jealous by dating another guy on the estate, Wayne. But it backfired because Wayne is a drug dealer.
The last time she saw Ran was 3 years ago, when she left England to study in the US.
Now she's working for a man named Lloyd Kelmer, who renovates old houses all over the world. Lloyd wants to buy Ran's old country estate house, Haverton Hall in Derbyshire, that Ran inherited from a rich uncle, that needs renovation. (There actually is a neoclassical estate house in Derbyshire called Kedleston Hall, you can see it online.)
Sylvie still feels really humiliated by Ran's reaction to her. But it's her job to oversee the renovations, so she has to deal with him. But she plans to stay professional and emotionally detached.
Meanwhile, during the time Sylvie's been away, her mother has been telling everyone (especially Ran) that Sylvie not only works for Lloyd Kelmer, but that they are a couple. She wants Ran to know that he isn't good enough, because he was just an employee on Alex's estate until he inherited his uncle's estate. Mother knew Sylvie had a crush on Rand, and she does NOT want it to turn into marriage.
Since Haverton Hall is out in the countryside, they're staying together on a small house on the estate, since it's too far from a hotel. It's a lot of push-pull between them. He's practically mauling her in every scene, then she yells at him to stop touching her. Sylvie is really portrayed as a nagging shrew in this book. Example: A woman comes to the door and Ran says he has a meeting, and Sylvie says, "With your GIRLFRIEND?!" Like, shut up girl, grow up. She gets a headache when he suggests she rest after her flight, but she refuses because she wants to do the opposite of what he says. She goes without dinner because she doesn't want to eat dinner with him but there are no restaurants in the area. I would have personally enjoyed the book better if she had actually managed to remain detached.
When Sylvie's 17, she and Ran work together over the summer at Alex's estate, doing some groundskeeping. She falls in love with Ran and confesses her love. Ran tells her she's off limits as Alex's step-sister, and because she's too young. She plans to make him jealous by dating another guy on the estate, Wayne. But it backfired because Wayne is a drug dealer.
The last time she saw Ran was 3 years ago, when she left England to study in the US.
Now she's working for a man named Lloyd Kelmer, who renovates old houses all over the world. Lloyd wants to buy Ran's old country estate house, Haverton Hall in Derbyshire, that Ran inherited from a rich uncle, that needs renovation. (There actually is a neoclassical estate house in Derbyshire called Kedleston Hall, you can see it online.)
Sylvie still feels really humiliated by Ran's reaction to her. But it's her job to oversee the renovations, so she has to deal with him. But she plans to stay professional and emotionally detached.
Meanwhile, during the time Sylvie's been away, her mother has been telling everyone (especially Ran) that Sylvie not only works for Lloyd Kelmer, but that they are a couple. She wants Ran to know that he isn't good enough, because he was just an employee on Alex's estate until he inherited his uncle's estate. Mother knew Sylvie had a crush on Rand, and she does NOT want it to turn into marriage.
Since Haverton Hall is out in the countryside, they're staying together on a small house on the estate, since it's too far from a hotel. It's a lot of push-pull between them. He's practically mauling her in every scene, then she yells at him to stop touching her. Sylvie is really portrayed as a nagging shrew in this book. Example: A woman comes to the door and Ran says he has a meeting, and Sylvie says, "With your GIRLFRIEND?!" Like, shut up girl, grow up. She gets a headache when he suggests she rest after her flight, but she refuses because she wants to do the opposite of what he says. She goes without dinner because she doesn't want to eat dinner with him but there are no restaurants in the area. I would have personally enjoyed the book better if she had actually managed to remain detached.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2017
Idk this story didn't really do it for me ... I didn't feel much chemistry between the h and the H .... so basically the heroine had a crush on the hero ever since she was younger but the hero liked her but of course she wasn't of age to do anything and takes her virginity when she was 19... still pretty young comparing that he was at least 10 years older than her ... and then he gets upset that she was a virgin ... what I found confusing about this book was that the flashbacks was all over the place it wasn't really for me . The present part of the book is later on so that what messed me up
September 28, 2024
Dual POV (😮). Angsty. Lots of flashbacks so it got confusing sometimes. Secretly smitten experienced older H who moves up the social ladder from best friends estate manager to titled land owner and prideful never fell out of love h who restores historical properties back to its glory days. Forced proximity as they have to work together after a 5 year seperation? Idk...timeline got wonky. He thinks she's sleeping with her boss and she thinks he's never stopped sleeping around (with the local divorcees).
November 29, 2018
Talk about getting the wrong end of the stick. They were both walking around each other as if they were hunting. It is a lovely story. I could've done without Vicky but I am glad she didn't get what she wanted from either man. hahahaha.
October 6, 2020
Would love to give it more stars but since it felt like the main plot was created from stupid decision of not being truthful. The H act like a mr know it all and the h being a pitiful love sick puppy. Completely unnecessary drama. Like the ending but overall it's good. A son and a baby on the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 26, 2021Starting this book now but reading the synopsis makes me think this is a copy of PJ's other book, A Savage Adoration. Over there the 17 year old h tried to seduce the older doctor H and eventually saves it for him anyway years later.
Want to read
December 26, 2019I think I read it in the late 90's... Will look for it again.
April 18, 2020
The misunderstanding that goes through out the entire book isn't believable. Just TALK to each other you dumb characters. Skip.
June 14, 2023
Skimmed. Another PJ h tormented by her hopeless love for the H who is equally tormented loving her. Half PJ’s books would evaporate if her characters learned to talk.
October 8, 2013
This is the follow up to "Fantasy for Two" which concerned Alex the Earl and Mollie a reporter who get involved over some new age travellers who have invaded Alex's land (it was written in the 90s when this sort of thing happened all the time). In that book a character named Ran, who was Alex's estate manager, and Sylvie, his step-sister popped up. Sylvie was the spoilt little rich girl who had rather unfortunately got involved with new-age traveller (but mainly drug dealer) Wayne. In this book, Sylvie is now all grown up and definitely not as irritating as during her first appearance. She has a job managing the take-over of large private houses for a "Trust". To be honest it sounds a lot like the National Trust, only it's run by an eccentric billionaire. The house she ends up project managing the take over of is, predictably, Ran's (being as, by happy chance, he is now an earl as well!) Thrust into each other's company again, they have the opportunity to fall out a lot and then predictably fall in love.
It's got a dodgy beginning this one - Ran greets Sylvie by snogging her even though she only offered him a handshake! He's very presumptuous and does his best to try and get the upper hand over her even though she's doing her best to keep the project management on track (and their relationship on a firm business footing). There's also an indication that some fraud might be going on in Ran's dealings with the Trust. However, as their mutual history is revealed, it all becomes a bit clearer and Ran starts to develop a warm and fuzzy side which you can clearly trace with all of Jordan's 90s heroes.
I liked the hall in this one - it struck me as being a lot like Kedleston Hall and the action is actually based in Derbyshire (the location of Kedleston). Kedleston is certainly near enough to Jordan's Cheshire home for her to have visited it. This book also employs the standard M&B motif of a garden scene where their love is finally declared (to a very romantic backdrop of white roses drifting petals over them "like confetti", as the loved-up hero declares.
It's a bit dated with its 90s setting (earlier the heroine berates Ran for not keeping up to date and realising that it's standard practice to "cross the Atlantic for a power breakfast") No doubt, later on, she will also be phoning her boss on her car phone (the size of a brick). However, it's a lovely romantic story and there's a certain charm about these books when they are so obviously of the time they were written in. Definitely recommend it for Jordan fans everywhere.
It's got a dodgy beginning this one - Ran greets Sylvie by snogging her even though she only offered him a handshake! He's very presumptuous and does his best to try and get the upper hand over her even though she's doing her best to keep the project management on track (and their relationship on a firm business footing). There's also an indication that some fraud might be going on in Ran's dealings with the Trust. However, as their mutual history is revealed, it all becomes a bit clearer and Ran starts to develop a warm and fuzzy side which you can clearly trace with all of Jordan's 90s heroes.
I liked the hall in this one - it struck me as being a lot like Kedleston Hall and the action is actually based in Derbyshire (the location of Kedleston). Kedleston is certainly near enough to Jordan's Cheshire home for her to have visited it. This book also employs the standard M&B motif of a garden scene where their love is finally declared (to a very romantic backdrop of white roses drifting petals over them "like confetti", as the loved-up hero declares.
It's a bit dated with its 90s setting (earlier the heroine berates Ran for not keeping up to date and realising that it's standard practice to "cross the Atlantic for a power breakfast") No doubt, later on, she will also be phoning her boss on her car phone (the size of a brick). However, it's a lovely romantic story and there's a certain charm about these books when they are so obviously of the time they were written in. Definitely recommend it for Jordan fans everywhere.
April 7, 2019
She'd break his self-control!
Still shamed by her teenage infatuation with Ranulf Carrington, Sylvie knew it was important that he understand they were now meeting on equal terms. She would do her utmost to play it cool and distant-his cruel words at their last meeting had crushed the youthful passion out of her--so that all they shared now was a purely business relationship!
Everything was different, yet nothing had changed--Sylvie's body still ached for his. Maybe Ran would never come to love her, but still she knew she'd do almost anything for just one night in his arms
Still shamed by her teenage infatuation with Ranulf Carrington, Sylvie knew it was important that he understand they were now meeting on equal terms. She would do her utmost to play it cool and distant-his cruel words at their last meeting had crushed the youthful passion out of her--so that all they shared now was a purely business relationship!
Everything was different, yet nothing had changed--Sylvie's body still ached for his. Maybe Ran would never come to love her, but still she knew she'd do almost anything for just one night in his arms
October 14, 2016
i felt torn about this one. Ran and Sylvie loved each other madly, yet they lied and lost each other due to wrong preconceived ideas on both parts. Sylvie was the one who suffered the worst in this story. she took drastic steps to forget him and nearly ruined her life while he was leading a perfectly normal life. he did suffer of their separation and pined for her. this wud have been a 4 star if he had plotted to have her instead of resigning himself dat she was lost to him forever !
February 5, 2017
I'm biased about this one because I haven't read a Penny Jordan for quite some time and this book made me think of why I liked her writing. The compelling way Penny Jordan writes makes every mundane scene special. This one did drag a bit in places but the characters were so sweet and so conflicted that I didn't feel the slow pace. The misunderstanding was circumstantial but you could get where they were coming from. The setting was lovely. A good romance for a lazy afternoon.
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