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The Borghese Bride
Read this classic romance by bestselling author Sandra Marton, now available for the first time in e-book!
Claiming his secret son...
At first Dominic Borghese dismisses the idea of marrying Arianna to repay a debt. But when he sees her, his mood changes -- she is the beautiful stranger he once shared an unforgettable encounter with and her little boy is the son he didn't know he had!
Originally published in 2003
Claiming his secret son...
At first Dominic Borghese dismisses the idea of marrying Arianna to repay a debt. But when he sees her, his mood changes -- she is the beautiful stranger he once shared an unforgettable encounter with and her little boy is the son he didn't know he had!
Originally published in 2003
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Sandra Marton
587 books540 followersI've been a writer, one way or another, all my life. Before I could read, I made up poems and my mom wrote them down for me. In elementary school, my teachers almost always let me write poems or stories instead of requiring me to do art projects. Always, I dreamed of becoming a published writer...and that dream came true! I write novels about sexy, powerful men and independent-minded women, and what happens when they find each other and fall in love. My books are sexy and romantic, and they've very often full of romantic suspense. I write the kinds of books I love to read, and I hope that makes my readers happy.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 9, 2019
One Night Stand with only first names exchanged. Hero never forgot her and still feels hurt mystery woman left before he woke up. Heroine never forgot him because she had his baby.
Five years later they meet again when the heroine’s aristocratic Italian grandmother has cooked up a scheme to save the family lingerie business with the Italian rags-to-billionaire hero. The scheme involves an arranged marriage.
Heroine faints when she sees the hero and doesn’t tell him that he is the father of her child.
Even when he asks her point blank.
Even after they are married.
Even when the hero offers to adopt the little boy.
So, I didn’t feel bad for the heroine at all when a few months into their marriage, the hero is just as cold back to her after his car accident. (It was only while he was in surgery did the heroine realize she loved the hero and was stupid to continue such a cold, hostile marriage.)
There is a lot of intensity in this one and I enjoyed watching a heroine who wasn’t a slave to her hormones – but she took it too far. I never understood why she was angry with the hero after their ONS. She wasn’t a virgin. He treated her with respect. She had some weird guilt about it – even to the point of keeping her son a secret from her own grandmother. Heroine was seriously messed up.
Hero was a sweetheart. Little Jonathan/Gianni was cute. Grandma was a formidable lady and I enjoyed her opening scenes with the hero. Even the hero’s secretary was nicely rounded as a character.
If you don't mind a bitchy heroine, you might like this one.
Five years later they meet again when the heroine’s aristocratic Italian grandmother has cooked up a scheme to save the family lingerie business with the Italian rags-to-billionaire hero. The scheme involves an arranged marriage.
Heroine faints when she sees the hero and doesn’t tell him that he is the father of her child.
Even when he asks her point blank.
Even after they are married.
Even when the hero offers to adopt the little boy.
So, I didn’t feel bad for the heroine at all when a few months into their marriage, the hero is just as cold back to her after his car accident. (It was only while he was in surgery did the heroine realize she loved the hero and was stupid to continue such a cold, hostile marriage.)
There is a lot of intensity in this one and I enjoyed watching a heroine who wasn’t a slave to her hormones – but she took it too far. I never understood why she was angry with the hero after their ONS. She wasn’t a virgin. He treated her with respect. She had some weird guilt about it – even to the point of keeping her son a secret from her own grandmother. Heroine was seriously messed up.
Hero was a sweetheart. Little Jonathan/Gianni was cute. Grandma was a formidable lady and I enjoyed her opening scenes with the hero. Even the hero’s secretary was nicely rounded as a character.
If you don't mind a bitchy heroine, you might like this one.
March 4, 2015
Many elements were excellent. After a one night stand while on a trip to NYC, Dominic did not come back to Arianna's city looking for her, and she had no idea where he was from or how to seek him out, so I wasn't very troubled by the secret, although she should have made some attempt to locate him. she is very wrong of course, to continue the lie, but that's why it's a tangled web we weave! I loved to see a heroine finally standing up against coercion tactics, but also love how hero won her over with his warmth and wonderful fathering. Also liked how he valued her strength and intelligence in addition to beauty in the qualities of a wife. Her realization at the accident is heartfelt and real. Yes Dominic is very cruel but he becomes remorseful and it's understandable for him to be angry.
This would have been a 5 star if author had not taken a woman with normal sexual history, who has a weekday apartment in the city and is always from her son all week, and made her a celibate for 5 years pining for a one night stand whose name she never knew, while he moved on to other women (would have been normal for both given the limits of their night together). That's just ridiculous and completely jarring in light of heroine's strength and independence. It's like the author was writing a great book with a real heroine and then remembered she was writing a formulaic Harlequin where heroine had to be a neutered piece of wood that only comes to life when the ventriloquist hero puts his hands on her dummy parts. Yuck.
This would have been a 5 star if author had not taken a woman with normal sexual history, who has a weekday apartment in the city and is always from her son all week, and made her a celibate for 5 years pining for a one night stand whose name she never knew, while he moved on to other women (would have been normal for both given the limits of their night together). That's just ridiculous and completely jarring in light of heroine's strength and independence. It's like the author was writing a great book with a real heroine and then remembered she was writing a formulaic Harlequin where heroine had to be a neutered piece of wood that only comes to life when the ventriloquist hero puts his hands on her dummy parts. Yuck.
September 10, 2018
Over all a good book, though I had trouble with how long it took for Arianna to tell Dominic that Jonathan was his son. The ending when Jonathan was talking with Dominic about his mother's crying just hit me in the heart.
February 26, 2014
Holy emotional! The ending nearly killed me with tears. It was so great!
April 30, 2013
the book changed. in this one it was the heroine who was mean n she did not lose her mind with love after marrying the hero. he forced her into marriage so she did not accept him. at last one rational book !!lol:p
April 9, 2017
I loved this book. It had the protoganists' perspectives and despite there were no epilogues, we get got their child's view. Despite passion drew them together, it couldn't save their marriage ,each wanting that need for love, trust and honesty. It took a near death experience to shake up the heroine to realise what was at stake. The hero reacted with animosity to protect his heart from pain yet he was remorseful. Great ingredients for an emotional rollercoaster book. I recommend! It certainly deserves a higher rating.
December 23, 2012
Harlequin Mills & Boon writers have to follow a formula, I believe. This one is no exception and the plot is typical for the genre.
Gorgeous young woman meets gorgeous man, they have a one-night stand, neither one knows who the other is. Five years later, after young man has done financial dealings with the grandmother of the young woman, Granny offers grand-daughter to young man (who of course is worth squillions)to repay a debt.
Young woman is leading secret life which even Granny doesn't know about and has a son to the gorgeous young man. Finally she marries the gorgeous young man - as you do, even though you "hate" him - and son, mother and man set up house together. The son is supposed to look just like his father, but the young man doesn't twig it at all - can't be all that astute, I'm thinking - and the young woman lies and tells him he is not the father of her son.
Finally after an accident to the young man - much angst in between and petty sulking on the part of the nasty young woman - they get together again. I am not sure why he would want her, because she is quite an unlikeable character. Then she confesses... and of course things go downhill from there.
This story is perhaps no sillier than most, but I nearly threw the book away when all this drama ensued. Much ado about nothing, but then I guess there wouldn't be a book without it!
Pretty typical of the M & B stable but "far more fetched" than many.
Gorgeous young woman meets gorgeous man, they have a one-night stand, neither one knows who the other is. Five years later, after young man has done financial dealings with the grandmother of the young woman, Granny offers grand-daughter to young man (who of course is worth squillions)to repay a debt.
Young woman is leading secret life which even Granny doesn't know about and has a son to the gorgeous young man. Finally she marries the gorgeous young man - as you do, even though you "hate" him - and son, mother and man set up house together. The son is supposed to look just like his father, but the young man doesn't twig it at all - can't be all that astute, I'm thinking - and the young woman lies and tells him he is not the father of her son.
Finally after an accident to the young man - much angst in between and petty sulking on the part of the nasty young woman - they get together again. I am not sure why he would want her, because she is quite an unlikeable character. Then she confesses... and of course things go downhill from there.
This story is perhaps no sillier than most, but I nearly threw the book away when all this drama ensued. Much ado about nothing, but then I guess there wouldn't be a book without it!
Pretty typical of the M & B stable but "far more fetched" than many.
Read
March 12, 2021He at first refuses the MOC proposal but then he sees her and remebers her.
Claiming his secret son…
At first Dominic Borghese dismisses the idea of marrying Arianna to repay a debt. But when he sees her, his mood changes — she is the beautiful stranger he once shared an unforgettable encounter with and her little boy is the son he didn’t know he had!
Claiming his secret son…
At first Dominic Borghese dismisses the idea of marrying Arianna to repay a debt. But when he sees her, his mood changes — she is the beautiful stranger he once shared an unforgettable encounter with and her little boy is the son he didn’t know he had!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2018
Set in Rome, Manhattan and Connecticut, we don't really see much of these places. Some sightseeing of Rome was done but we didn't get much descriptions. The focus here was really on the characters and their emotions.
Arianna may have had material wealth growing up, but losing her parents and subjected to her elderly and old fashioned grandmother made her lonely. Dominic was an illegitimate son of an Italian street walker, who made his own fortune through sheer hard work and grit. Because of his mother, and a rich miss he met in his teens, he had problems trusting women.
Their anonymous one night stand five years ago was unforgettable, but neither made an effort to look for each other due to reasons of their own.
I agreed and sympathised with Arianna, such an important thing like having a baby, how to break such news to her sickly grandmother, and the nameless one night stand?
Dominic's car crash was dramatic but it made both admit their love for the other, albeit to themselves only. Then lots if hurt feelings and defensive proud and cruel words, cold war etc, finally they kissed and made up.
Jonathan/ Gianni and Bruno had gotta be the most precocious four year olds EVER!
Arianna may have had material wealth growing up, but losing her parents and subjected to her elderly and old fashioned grandmother made her lonely. Dominic was an illegitimate son of an Italian street walker, who made his own fortune through sheer hard work and grit. Because of his mother, and a rich miss he met in his teens, he had problems trusting women.
Their anonymous one night stand five years ago was unforgettable, but neither made an effort to look for each other due to reasons of their own.
I agreed and sympathised with Arianna, such an important thing like having a baby, how to break such news to her sickly grandmother, and the nameless one night stand?
Dominic's car crash was dramatic but it made both admit their love for the other, albeit to themselves only. Then lots if hurt feelings and defensive proud and cruel words, cold war etc, finally they kissed and made up.
Jonathan/ Gianni and Bruno had gotta be the most precocious four year olds EVER!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2023
I liked how the author knowing she has made her h a little too spineless and wimpy and whining helped develop her character and get out of the plot that was going in circles in a neat way.
Though the writing was good, the characters were a bit too cliched and the only saving grace was the H and h’s kid, Jonathon / Gianni. He was better than all the adults involved especially the h.
For readers who like a lot of angst and self sabotage, this will connect well with them.
Though the writing was good, the characters were a bit too cliched and the only saving grace was the H and h’s kid, Jonathon / Gianni. He was better than all the adults involved especially the h.
For readers who like a lot of angst and self sabotage, this will connect well with them.
July 14, 2018
Incredible
I couldn't put this one down,it held my interest from the very beginning to the end.I'll be looking forward to reading more from this author.
I couldn't put this one down,it held my interest from the very beginning to the end.I'll be looking forward to reading more from this author.
September 5, 2020
Loved the kid more than the heroine and hero
April 8, 2012
Arianna Cabot and Dominic Borghese have an anonymous one-night stand. She gets pregnant, but since they never actually exchanged names, she can't tell him even if she wanted to. 5 years and an interfering grandmother later, they are re-united and married.
This was my first book by Sandra Marton. My complaints:
1. Dominic refuses to call Jonathan (Arianna's son) by his given name, instead calling him Gianni. Names are important; what kind of man goes around giving nicknames to kids he's just met? I think Arianna has every right to be mad about this, and she capitulated on the issue far too easily. There is nothing unreasonable about wanting people to address your son by the name you gave him.
2. The grandmother's manipulation and lies to get Arianna and Dominic to marry were transparent and annoying. No real reason or explanation was ever given for her actions.
Overall however, I did enjoy this book. Arianna is very angry and upset at the way Dominic forced her to marry him, and he does realise that he behaved incorrectly. The resolution of their relationship spans months rather than weeks, which is much more realistic than many romance novels.
This was my first book by Sandra Marton. My complaints:
1. Dominic refuses to call Jonathan (Arianna's son) by his given name, instead calling him Gianni. Names are important; what kind of man goes around giving nicknames to kids he's just met? I think Arianna has every right to be mad about this, and she capitulated on the issue far too easily. There is nothing unreasonable about wanting people to address your son by the name you gave him.
2. The grandmother's manipulation and lies to get Arianna and Dominic to marry were transparent and annoying. No real reason or explanation was ever given for her actions.
Overall however, I did enjoy this book. Arianna is very angry and upset at the way Dominic forced her to marry him, and he does realise that he behaved incorrectly. The resolution of their relationship spans months rather than weeks, which is much more realistic than many romance novels.
July 23, 2018
Arianna, and Dominic had met several years before, and shared one special night. They didn’t exchange numbers. Arianna left before Dominic was awake. He never forgot her. It was lucky for him that her grandmother needed a loan from him. She couldn’t repay it, but instead offered him, her granddaughter. He had no idea that her granddaughter was Arianna, the beautiful lady he never forgot. I didn’t really care for Arianna as the heroine. She built up walls around her heart, and it was hard for Dominic to get close to her. She waited too long to tell him he was father. It was a decent book. I’ve read worse, but it’s not favorite.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews