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Brides for the Taking #2
The Italian's One-Night Baby - Mempelai Sang Miliuner Italia
Sang dokter cantik, Ellie Dixon, pernah menolak mentah-mentah rayuan Rio Benedetti, dan dua tahun kemudian playboy miliuner itu masih belum melupakan hinaan tersebut. Sekarang Ellie datang ke Italia sambil membawa cincin zamrud dan mengaku sebagai putri kandung dari ayah angkat Rio---tindakan yang membuat Rio murka... dan semakin mendamba.
Dengan keyakinan bahwa Ellie tak lebih dari wanita penggila harta yang mencoba menjebak orang tua kaya raya, Rio bertekad membalas dendam dengan membongkar setiap rahasia wanita menawan itu... tanpa menyadari bahwa hatinya sendiri menjadi taruhan.
Dengan keyakinan bahwa Ellie tak lebih dari wanita penggila harta yang mencoba menjebak orang tua kaya raya, Rio bertekad membalas dendam dengan membongkar setiap rahasia wanita menawan itu... tanpa menyadari bahwa hatinya sendiri menjadi taruhan.
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2017
251 people are currently reading
231 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Graham
1,763 books1,450 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
April 20, 2017
Our heroine Doctor Ellie Dixon is a woman who is determined to find her lost father. She meets our hero Rio at her sister's wedding and they almost spend the night together. When Ellie finally finds her father she is very happy about it but her father is also Rio's godfather and Rio doesn't trust her. He thinks she is a gold-digger but despite that he can't resist her. Fear of pregnancy forces Rio to propose marriage and Ellie has no choice but to agree for the sake of her baby.
Lynne Graham is a HP goddess. I adored this book. Finally a true alpha Presents hero. Rio is cynical, arrogant and a manwhore! I loved that! I love a big manwhore hero falling hard and fast for an innocent feisty heroine. These two had amazing chemistry. Ellie was feisty but also a sweetheart. They were funny and cute together and I laughed so hard at his "I don't do hugs" attitude. The banter between these two is delightful. Epilogue was adorable! Can't wait for Lucy's story. She is the third sister in this trilogy.
Edited to add I just re-read this and it's even more awesome the second time around! Simply perfect! So glad I bought this :)
Lynne Graham is a HP goddess. I adored this book. Finally a true alpha Presents hero. Rio is cynical, arrogant and a manwhore! I loved that! I love a big manwhore hero falling hard and fast for an innocent feisty heroine. These two had amazing chemistry. Ellie was feisty but also a sweetheart. They were funny and cute together and I laughed so hard at his "I don't do hugs" attitude. The banter between these two is delightful. Epilogue was adorable! Can't wait for Lucy's story. She is the third sister in this trilogy.
Edited to add I just re-read this and it's even more awesome the second time around! Simply perfect! So glad I bought this :)
April 10, 2017
Book#2,Ellie and Rio's story.They first meet when they were both in the Middle Eastern country of Dharia for the wedding of the King to Ellie's older sister.They were going to make a love connection ,but when they returned to his hotel room,he had twin surprises waiting for him.Needless to say,this put the kibosh on anything sexual or otherwise from happening.
The story takes place two years later when the two meet up in Florence, Italy.Ellie is there to meet up with the man who could potentially be her birth father.Unbeknowst to her,Rio is there too and he is her potential father's godson who had raised him from boyhood.
Well these two meet and shall we say the sparks are flying high as their chemistry is positively combustible.
Rio is the typical LG hero with the tortured past.He was born to a drug addicted prostitute who left him in a dumpster.He was cheated on by his live in fiancee with his so called best friend and business partner,and he had a dubious sex life to add to the mix.This sex life is what got him into hot water with the heroine in the first place.At their last meeting two years prior at her sister's wedding,they were all set to mattress tango ,but when they reached his hotel room,there were twin blondes already occupying said mattress.So with a slap to the face and insulting parting words,Ellie departs till their fateful meet up two years hence.And the burning question,did he partake of double delight?At one point of the story,he said they did not do a menage that night,but he did have sex with them prior,then another when Ellie asked him if he did,Rio said it's best if she did not know.So,did he or didn't he participate in a menage that night?Who knows,does not really matter as they were not a couple at that time and had no future plans to be with each other again.In my eyes,he redeemed himself when they became a couple.
Ellie the heroine was a firecracker,the perfect heroine for Rio.At times judgemental,but I attributed that to her personality and she grew on me.
This was a very low angst read,enjoyable HP venture by one of my favorite HP writers.The last sister's story is up next and can't wait.
I must mention that the hero's name "Rio" reminded ne of the Duran,Duran song because every darn time I saw his name,the lyrics to the song was in my head!
The story takes place two years later when the two meet up in Florence, Italy.Ellie is there to meet up with the man who could potentially be her birth father.Unbeknowst to her,Rio is there too and he is her potential father's godson who had raised him from boyhood.
Well these two meet and shall we say the sparks are flying high as their chemistry is positively combustible.
Rio is the typical LG hero with the tortured past.He was born to a drug addicted prostitute who left him in a dumpster.He was cheated on by his live in fiancee with his so called best friend and business partner,and he had a dubious sex life to add to the mix.This sex life is what got him into hot water with the heroine in the first place.At their last meeting two years prior at her sister's wedding,they were all set to mattress tango ,but when they reached his hotel room,there were twin blondes already occupying said mattress.So with a slap to the face and insulting parting words,Ellie departs till their fateful meet up two years hence.And the burning question,did he partake of double delight?At one point of the story,he said they did not do a menage that night,but he did have sex with them prior,then another when Ellie asked him if he did,Rio said it's best if she did not know.So,did he or didn't he participate in a menage that night?Who knows,does not really matter as they were not a couple at that time and had no future plans to be with each other again.In my eyes,he redeemed himself when they became a couple.
Ellie the heroine was a firecracker,the perfect heroine for Rio.At times judgemental,but I attributed that to her personality and she grew on me.
This was a very low angst read,enjoyable HP venture by one of my favorite HP writers.The last sister's story is up next and can't wait.
I must mention that the hero's name "Rio" reminded ne of the Duran,Duran song because every darn time I saw his name,the lyrics to the song was in my head!
avoid
March 27, 2017Hero having threesome straight after being rejected by heroine, and heroine rejecting hero BECAUSE he was about have that stated threesome when he was trying to seduce her?
No thanks, I'd like to keep my dinner
P.s. let's torture you more, the threesome buddies were invited to the wedding too :D
No thanks, I'd like to keep my dinner
P.s. let's torture you more, the threesome buddies were invited to the wedding too :D
November 11, 2017
Firstly, let me say that I had not expected to like Ellie because when she was introduced in her sister Polly's novel, she had been annoying as hell. She was always trying to be all pushy and bossy to Polly and that drove me up the wall in that novel because Polly and Rashad deserved no hindrances to their HEA.
In this novel, Ellie came across as a softer more sensitive soul and I ( gasp ! ) actually liked her a lot. Rio was an entirely different story. I hated him for being a manwhore and having a threesome with two slutbucket twins IMMEDIATELY after Ellie refuses to sleep with him, after Polly's wedding. That was just so...UGHHH. Disgusting. Rio will not be anywhere among my fav or even middle to fav heroes by Lynne Graham but he did manage to work his way back into Ellie's good books. This was an enjoyable book overall but not as good as the one with Polly and Rashad.
In this novel, Ellie came across as a softer more sensitive soul and I ( gasp ! ) actually liked her a lot. Rio was an entirely different story. I hated him for being a manwhore and having a threesome with two slutbucket twins IMMEDIATELY after Ellie refuses to sleep with him, after Polly's wedding. That was just so...UGHHH. Disgusting. Rio will not be anywhere among my fav or even middle to fav heroes by Lynne Graham but he did manage to work his way back into Ellie's good books. This was an enjoyable book overall but not as good as the one with Polly and Rashad.
July 3, 2017
Quintessential Lynne Graham with a hero who is unknowingly besotted with an incredibly feisty and reactive redheaded heroine. She's pretty cranky, but she has good reason to be because the hero is so arrogant and accusatory plus it's just part of her personality. She's not too strident with it.
The H and h met two years before at her sister's wedding in The Desert King's Blackmailed Bride, but did not "get together" due to an unfortunate pair of twins that found their way to the H's bed. Yeah, yuck.
Present day and the h is in search of the owner of the ring she was given at her mother's death. Mother was not really a nice girl or a remotely decent mother although she must have been a hot momma as she has three daughters by three different men representing three different geographical asshats: an imaginary sheikdom, Italy and Greece. The h confronts the H's honorary godfather about the ring. Enough about the plot.
The H is a man whore of epic proportions and is besotted with the heroine although in typical LG fashion doesn't know what to do with it. He knows what to do with her, but just not what to do with his emotions.
The H and h met two years before at her sister's wedding in The Desert King's Blackmailed Bride, but did not "get together" due to an unfortunate pair of twins that found their way to the H's bed. Yeah, yuck.
Present day and the h is in search of the owner of the ring she was given at her mother's death. Mother was not really a nice girl or a remotely decent mother although she must have been a hot momma as she has three daughters by three different men representing three different geographical asshats: an imaginary sheikdom, Italy and Greece. The h confronts the H's honorary godfather about the ring. Enough about the plot.
The H is a man whore of epic proportions and is besotted with the heroine although in typical LG fashion doesn't know what to do with it. He knows what to do with her, but just not what to do with his emotions.
May 5, 2018
Middle story of three half sisters who find their daddys and a rich husband at the same time. In this story the virgin doctor heroine reunites with the hunky Italian she almost had a one night stand with at her sister's wedding two years before.
Time and distance hasn't healed the wound of seeing twin blondes waiting for the hero in his hotel room for a threesome. As for the hero's part, he's still smarting from her rejection.
Alas, the hero's godfather is also the heroine's real daddy, so they have to interact. All this arguing and attraction leads to an unprotected one night stand which leads to marriage and then a confirmed pregnancy. Throw in some old girlfriends of the hero's, some accusations of golddigging towards the heroine, an emotionally shut-down hero and you have an LG romance that will end in a toddler-filled epilogue.
Everything is in order here. Carry on, LG!
Time and distance hasn't healed the wound of seeing twin blondes waiting for the hero in his hotel room for a threesome. As for the hero's part, he's still smarting from her rejection.
Alas, the hero's godfather is also the heroine's real daddy, so they have to interact. All this arguing and attraction leads to an unprotected one night stand which leads to marriage and then a confirmed pregnancy. Throw in some old girlfriends of the hero's, some accusations of golddigging towards the heroine, an emotionally shut-down hero and you have an LG romance that will end in a toddler-filled epilogue.
Everything is in order here. Carry on, LG!
April 13, 2017
The Hero Rio was not a great hero to me. He was a pig. He slept with many many women and after they had unprotected sex she didn't even ask if he was clean. They met 2 years ago at her sisters wedding and when they went to his room there were two naked women waiting in his bed. She got mad, slapped him and left. He slept with them after she left by the way. She found that out at her wedding which they attended. And he slept with OW for the next two years. They were not together but it just didn't make me like him. I tried to tell myself they weren't together so why should I care but I did. They meet up two years later. He slept with her like the 2nd day and then called to find another woman to sleep with because he was a 'hit them and quit them' kind of guy. And you never know if he finds one. The next night he brings another woman to the party with her there and it just keeps getting worse in my opinion. Yeah she gets pregnant and they marry but I just didn't care anymore. After he told her he slept with the twins after she left him I was just turned off. They were friends of his from college and they even went to their wedding. He was a pig. They had a nice epilogue but again I didn't care anymore. I wish I hadn't read this. I tried to like it I really did. But be warned if you are a safety gang person stay away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2017
4 Stars!
The Italians One-Night Baby is the second book in Lynne Graham’s Brides for the Taking series. I haven’t read the first book, which in no way affected my enjoyment of this book, although I am interested in doing so now, as the heroine ends up with a Desert King (one of my particularly favorite tropes).
"Once met, never forgotten…"
Rio Benedetti and Ellie Dixon’s first meeting didn’t end on the friendliest of terms. He in particular with a slap to the face and Ellie left feeling every inch of her inexperience with men. Two years on and their second meeting doesn’t get off to the greatest starts either, when Rio initially believes that Ellie, has nefarious designs on his godfather.
Rio wasn’t the forgiving and forgetting sort…
The title pretty much sums up the main trope of this story, and as you would expect with a typical M&B hero, Rio is dauntless in getting what he wants from Ellie.
"Take a risk on me."
I remember reading a lot of Lynne Graham’s books before the days of the e-reader, and she sticks true to form with The Italians One-Night Baby, alpha-male, virginal-inexperienced-female, a little sexy interaction, and a bit of flowery prose. As you would expect there is the inevitable stumble in the proceedings towards the end, but I read this book in an evening, which is exactly what I expect to do when I am enjoying a title from this publisher.
ARC provided via Netgalley as part of the Mills & Boon Insiders review programme, in exchange for the above honest review.
The Italians One-Night Baby is the second book in Lynne Graham’s Brides for the Taking series. I haven’t read the first book, which in no way affected my enjoyment of this book, although I am interested in doing so now, as the heroine ends up with a Desert King (one of my particularly favorite tropes).
"Once met, never forgotten…"
Rio Benedetti and Ellie Dixon’s first meeting didn’t end on the friendliest of terms. He in particular with a slap to the face and Ellie left feeling every inch of her inexperience with men. Two years on and their second meeting doesn’t get off to the greatest starts either, when Rio initially believes that Ellie, has nefarious designs on his godfather.
Rio wasn’t the forgiving and forgetting sort…
The title pretty much sums up the main trope of this story, and as you would expect with a typical M&B hero, Rio is dauntless in getting what he wants from Ellie.
"Take a risk on me."
I remember reading a lot of Lynne Graham’s books before the days of the e-reader, and she sticks true to form with The Italians One-Night Baby, alpha-male, virginal-inexperienced-female, a little sexy interaction, and a bit of flowery prose. As you would expect there is the inevitable stumble in the proceedings towards the end, but I read this book in an evening, which is exactly what I expect to do when I am enjoying a title from this publisher.
ARC provided via Netgalley as part of the Mills & Boon Insiders review programme, in exchange for the above honest review.
March 7, 2017
oh my god!!Lynne graham is just loosing her magical touch.I absolutely hated the hero!!he was a big time womanizer!!upon that the history they shared when they first met two years ago is disgusting!!I mean the hero went and had a threesome immediately after the heroine rejected him! yuck!!and the reason the heroine rejected him was that she found two naked blondes waiting for the hero in his bedroom when he took the heroine to his room!!instead of explaining the circumstances to the heroine he went on to have a threesome with them after she left!!double yuck!!from this point on I hated the book and hero with passion!lynne graham is one of my favourite authors but she's writing such diappointing books lately!!this book is a part of sisters trilogy and I'm already doubtful of reading the last book as the hero of that book seems to be more worst from what was mentioned about him in this book.
February 12, 2022
Not safe enough for me. Hero was a manwhore of epic proportions and it affected my enjoyment of the book.
One extra star for the epilogue.
One extra star for the epilogue.
April 25, 2020
I don't like H because he wasn't besotted enough.
July 5, 2018
Una novelita muy Lynne Graham, con un héroe súper papacito (mucho mirar la serie de Luismi, qué chingados...) y una historia común para el género; pero Gio, que en inglés es Rio y no sé por qué lo cambiaron, viene a dar vuelta el argumento y hace que te enamores de él durante todo el libro.
Me encantó volver a leer a la Lynne de antaño con el condimento de una más actual y aggiornada. Muy recomendable <3.
Me encantó volver a leer a la Lynne de antaño con el condimento de una más actual y aggiornada. Muy recomendable <3.
January 30, 2018
The Italian's One Night Baby was a struggle to finish. Why? The heroine. This is a taming of the shrew hp version. The shrewish heroine grated on my nerves. Her judging the hero repeatedly was a turn off. In addition to that being a problem, the romantic chemistry was missing. The interaction between the heroine and hero felt forced. Underwhelming.
Lynn Graham is a favorite author so it's awful when one of her books fails to deliver greatness. Hoping for the best in the next book in this series.
Lynn Graham is a favorite author so it's awful when one of her books fails to deliver greatness. Hoping for the best in the next book in this series.
March 22, 2017
I liked this one. Well written and the characters were different from LGs usual. The heroine was had a tendency to fly off the handle and so did the hero. They had met 2 years earlier and almost hooked up. In the mean time he hadn't particularly fretted over her. No angst over her getting away or anything which was refreshingly realistic. They had some real issues to overcome. They weren't world shaking problems but they weren't made up problems that could have been solved by a simple honest conversation.
March 29, 2020
2.5 stars
March 19, 2017
Comfort read and love scene masterclass
Lynne Graham is a comfort-read voice for me. Reading her is slipping into memories of previous favourites with echoes of Lynne Graham heroes and heroines that enhance the reading experience.
That same voice kept me turning the pages–despite not being a fan of the playboy-trope–when I was suspicious of Rio’s motivations for thinking the worst of Ellie, who isn’t my favourite Lynne Graham heroine, but holds her own with other Mills and Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents' heroines.
If voice and character carry the beginning, then I also loved how she delivers un-skippable love scenes….
The first love scene felt like an extension of how gorgeous the hero is and who’s going to say no to a Lynne-Graham hero…?
So we have triple helpings of backstory/conflict, misunderstanding and suspicion, overridden by high emotion and sexual tension, and a love scene where
A lovely emotional mess. *rubs hands together gleefully*
The second love scene almost made me *peer through fingers* and think: Oh, no, I’m afraid this is going to be page-filler and skippable. But it isn’t. It comes in the angry aftermath of falling out during their wedding. I won’t go into details as there’ll be more spoiler tags than review if I’m not careful! And it ends on an emotional low note. Low note for the relationship, not for the writing.
Third love scene–I’m definitely going to skip this, aren’t I? but thought with a lot more uncertainty and a lot more willingness to read on and be proved wrong again. This time we’re eased into it with dialogue and see a different side of their relationship. A what-their-marriage-could-be-like side. Again, the love scene ends on an emotional turning point, making it impossible to look away.
The flipside of reading a voice where previous characters still share the pages with you, is that it creates high expectations and I found myself measuring this against the M&B Modern/Harlequin Presents' line, and against other Lynne Graham’s, one of the authors who IS the line.
And I think The Italian’s One-Night Baby meets the expectations of readers already in love with her books, but there’s enough of where the line is at now to satisfy newer readers. Such as, the areas that I’d been suspicious of being too older-Presents (misunderstandings shoring up conflict and the trigger for the black moment), but which are borne of the hero and heroine’s pasts, particularly the hero’s.
Four out of five Lynne-Graham stars
Arc received from NetGalley and Mills and Boon courtesy of Mills and Boon Insiders
Lynne Graham is a comfort-read voice for me. Reading her is slipping into memories of previous favourites with echoes of Lynne Graham heroes and heroines that enhance the reading experience.
That same voice kept me turning the pages–despite not being a fan of the playboy-trope–when I was suspicious of Rio’s motivations for thinking the worst of Ellie, who isn’t my favourite Lynne Graham heroine, but holds her own with other Mills and Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents' heroines.
If voice and character carry the beginning, then I also loved how she delivers un-skippable love scenes….
The first love scene felt like an extension of how gorgeous the hero is and who’s going to say no to a Lynne-Graham hero…?
So we have triple helpings of backstory/conflict, misunderstanding and suspicion, overridden by high emotion and sexual tension, and a love scene where
A lovely emotional mess. *rubs hands together gleefully*
The second love scene almost made me *peer through fingers* and think: Oh, no, I’m afraid this is going to be page-filler and skippable. But it isn’t. It comes in the angry aftermath of falling out during their wedding. I won’t go into details as there’ll be more spoiler tags than review if I’m not careful! And it ends on an emotional low note. Low note for the relationship, not for the writing.
Third love scene–I’m definitely going to skip this, aren’t I? but thought with a lot more uncertainty and a lot more willingness to read on and be proved wrong again. This time we’re eased into it with dialogue and see a different side of their relationship. A what-their-marriage-could-be-like side. Again, the love scene ends on an emotional turning point, making it impossible to look away.
The flipside of reading a voice where previous characters still share the pages with you, is that it creates high expectations and I found myself measuring this against the M&B Modern/Harlequin Presents' line, and against other Lynne Graham’s, one of the authors who IS the line.
And I think The Italian’s One-Night Baby meets the expectations of readers already in love with her books, but there’s enough of where the line is at now to satisfy newer readers. Such as, the areas that I’d been suspicious of being too older-Presents (misunderstandings shoring up conflict and the trigger for the black moment), but which are borne of the hero and heroine’s pasts, particularly the hero’s.
Four out of five Lynne-Graham stars
Arc received from NetGalley and Mills and Boon courtesy of Mills and Boon Insiders
August 15, 2021
Ivy H and several other reviewers recapped the story well, so just some venting...
He was a man whore. Probably one of the worst I’ve read in HP. His back story didn’t elicit any sympathy... if it’s supposed to excuse him, it didn’t. He kept making deliberate choices as an adult to be a sleaze bag as his due.
Talking to her during their wedding about a threesome he had the night he met her (she saw the twins naked in his bed) and then defending inviting the twins to their wedding was beyond gross. It’s pretty awful to tell a woman that she walked out the door and was IMMEDIATELY replaced by twins. And when she expressed unhappiness at that news, his answer was anger that ‘she expected him to be perfect.’ What?!
He was an insensitive, immature a**.
Him also forcing sex on her while criticizing her during their wedding reception was not good... he didn’t respect her denials and was only about what he wanted.
He redecorated his bedroom to try and ‘distract from the number of women who’d shared that bed’... yet she was still greeted with a stash of other women’s makeup and plenty of new guest toothbrushes in the master bathroom... yuck.
His arrogance, whoring, and lack of respect for her made me wonder why she loved him. I never saw anything remotely lovable about him. He didn’t grovel or apologize for his ongoing misjudgments of her, and she was a total idiot for being so swept up by how he looked. (Get a backbone!)
She was argumentative but he ignored her feelings/wishes anyway. The Epilogue was okay but didn’t negate the crap. I’m sorry I read this... because he was a pig start to finish.
He was a man whore. Probably one of the worst I’ve read in HP. His back story didn’t elicit any sympathy... if it’s supposed to excuse him, it didn’t. He kept making deliberate choices as an adult to be a sleaze bag as his due.
Talking to her during their wedding about a threesome he had the night he met her (she saw the twins naked in his bed) and then defending inviting the twins to their wedding was beyond gross. It’s pretty awful to tell a woman that she walked out the door and was IMMEDIATELY replaced by twins. And when she expressed unhappiness at that news, his answer was anger that ‘she expected him to be perfect.’ What?!
He was an insensitive, immature a**.
Him also forcing sex on her while criticizing her during their wedding reception was not good... he didn’t respect her denials and was only about what he wanted.
He redecorated his bedroom to try and ‘distract from the number of women who’d shared that bed’... yet she was still greeted with a stash of other women’s makeup and plenty of new guest toothbrushes in the master bathroom... yuck.
His arrogance, whoring, and lack of respect for her made me wonder why she loved him. I never saw anything remotely lovable about him. He didn’t grovel or apologize for his ongoing misjudgments of her, and she was a total idiot for being so swept up by how he looked. (Get a backbone!)
She was argumentative but he ignored her feelings/wishes anyway. The Epilogue was okay but didn’t negate the crap. I’m sorry I read this... because he was a pig start to finish.
November 16, 2017
Awful...The hero is an a$$ man whore & the heroine a sex-crazed virgin doormat! The way he rode rough shod over her, barging into her hotel room and always insisting he's irresistible to her...when they had sex the first couple of times it felt rapey...her feeling desire the moment he touched her did not make it right!
I know the author tried to give him a background to make us sympathise with him, but he was too much of a jerk and man whore I couldn't bring myself to like him. When they first met at her sister's wedding, she was ready to go to bed with him despite being a virgin. But there were already a pair of naked twins waiting in his bed! She slapped him and insulted him and left...and presumably he went on to have a threesome with the twins. AND THE TWINS WERE INVITED TO THEIR WEDDING. AND HER SISTER TOLD HER IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WERE DATING SO SHE COULD NOT FAULT HIM FOR WHAT HE DID. THEN HE DID NOT LIKE HER SULKING OVER THIS AT THEIR WEDDING HE PULLED HER TO THE BRIDAL SUITE AND FORCED SEX ON HER...she just conveniently melted whenever he touched her...OMG.
He had thought she was a gold digger and when he's proven wrong he did not apologise in words but by action. Yet it's the words heroine craved and needed...she had to ASK him for one! And he proudly said no way would he apologise as it'd remind the heroine he's not perfect or whatever? ! When he had his bedroom redecorated to what he thought she'd like, the author had to go add that he did not want her thinking about all the women he'd had in that bed. PUKE.
Just awful...
I know the author tried to give him a background to make us sympathise with him, but he was too much of a jerk and man whore I couldn't bring myself to like him. When they first met at her sister's wedding, she was ready to go to bed with him despite being a virgin. But there were already a pair of naked twins waiting in his bed! She slapped him and insulted him and left...and presumably he went on to have a threesome with the twins. AND THE TWINS WERE INVITED TO THEIR WEDDING. AND HER SISTER TOLD HER IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WERE DATING SO SHE COULD NOT FAULT HIM FOR WHAT HE DID. THEN HE DID NOT LIKE HER SULKING OVER THIS AT THEIR WEDDING HE PULLED HER TO THE BRIDAL SUITE AND FORCED SEX ON HER...she just conveniently melted whenever he touched her...OMG.
He had thought she was a gold digger and when he's proven wrong he did not apologise in words but by action. Yet it's the words heroine craved and needed...she had to ASK him for one! And he proudly said no way would he apologise as it'd remind the heroine he's not perfect or whatever? ! When he had his bedroom redecorated to what he thought she'd like, the author had to go add that he did not want her thinking about all the women he'd had in that bed. PUKE.
Just awful...
March 26, 2017
I have Mills and Boon to thank for the discovery of some of my favourite authors and I now have another to add to my list. No, seriously, if it wasn’t for them I don’t think I would have found Rhyannon Byrd or Patrice Michelle, to name but two. Sorry, I digress…
Take one fiery redhead and mix with a fiery Italian and what do you get? Perfection.
The Italian’s One-Night Baby is book two in the Brides for the Taking trilogy, although each can be read as a standalone. We follow doctor Ellie’s journey to Italy (le sigh!) in her quest to find out who her father is. Unfortunately, she doesn’t bank on crossing paths with the enigmatic Rio Benedetti again.
Lets put it this way – their last meeting didn’t end all that well. Hmm, how can I put this delicately? *snorts* The climax of the evening wasn’t the one that Rio had envisaged. Now, now. Don’t look at me like that.
“… I have a rather raunchy reputation with women – ” “Raunchy?” Ellie rested her head to one side as if she was considering that word. “Do you think rumours of your three-in-a-bed sexcapades have spread?”
Trust doesn’t come easily to a man like Rio. His past doesn’t allow for it. So, as you can imagine, he is suspicious of Ellie’s motives for coming to Italy. He is determined to unravel all of her secrets. However, their mutual passion is once again ignited – resulting in an unexpected consequence.
I was completely transported with this tale as backstories are revealed and secrets shared. I felt as if I was there with Ellie when she goes exploring in the Italian countryside. Note to self: we will get there one day. I freely admit I wanted to bump a couple of heads as events are misconstrued along with jumping to conclusions. You know what they say about assuming anything…
Yet, as with all M&B reads I was left feeling all was right with the world once again. I look forward to reading more by this author including the last in this trilogy.
Note: Copy kindly received from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Take one fiery redhead and mix with a fiery Italian and what do you get? Perfection.
The Italian’s One-Night Baby is book two in the Brides for the Taking trilogy, although each can be read as a standalone. We follow doctor Ellie’s journey to Italy (le sigh!) in her quest to find out who her father is. Unfortunately, she doesn’t bank on crossing paths with the enigmatic Rio Benedetti again.
Lets put it this way – their last meeting didn’t end all that well. Hmm, how can I put this delicately? *snorts* The climax of the evening wasn’t the one that Rio had envisaged. Now, now. Don’t look at me like that.
“… I have a rather raunchy reputation with women – ” “Raunchy?” Ellie rested her head to one side as if she was considering that word. “Do you think rumours of your three-in-a-bed sexcapades have spread?”
Trust doesn’t come easily to a man like Rio. His past doesn’t allow for it. So, as you can imagine, he is suspicious of Ellie’s motives for coming to Italy. He is determined to unravel all of her secrets. However, their mutual passion is once again ignited – resulting in an unexpected consequence.
I was completely transported with this tale as backstories are revealed and secrets shared. I felt as if I was there with Ellie when she goes exploring in the Italian countryside. Note to self: we will get there one day. I freely admit I wanted to bump a couple of heads as events are misconstrued along with jumping to conclusions. You know what they say about assuming anything…
Yet, as with all M&B reads I was left feeling all was right with the world once again. I look forward to reading more by this author including the last in this trilogy.
Note: Copy kindly received from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2017
I received this copy through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
Lynne Graham is a go to author at Mills and Boon for me, up there with Liz Fielding, Kate Walker and Kate Hardy. She writes beautifully. Exciting characters, sizzling scenes, and meaty plots. The HEA is a given, but the ride is fantastic - and keeps you reading. I didn't quite buy the virgin part of this book, which is why it is 4 stars. I didn't feel it was necessary. This is part of a series, but I haven't read the other one, and read this as a standalone in its own right. I would recommend this book, I really enjoyed reading it. Lynne Graham is an auto buy author for me.
Lynne Graham is a go to author at Mills and Boon for me, up there with Liz Fielding, Kate Walker and Kate Hardy. She writes beautifully. Exciting characters, sizzling scenes, and meaty plots. The HEA is a given, but the ride is fantastic - and keeps you reading. I didn't quite buy the virgin part of this book, which is why it is 4 stars. I didn't feel it was necessary. This is part of a series, but I haven't read the other one, and read this as a standalone in its own right. I would recommend this book, I really enjoyed reading it. Lynne Graham is an auto buy author for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2018
3.5 Stars
March 10, 2017
I loved this book :D
I was very excited to read this since I liked Ellie's character in the first book of the trilogy. The snippet has Rio saying that they would set the bed on fire and it was the absolute truth because this lead pair had sizzling chemistry. I also liked how they could read each other well!
LG is my favorite in HP because she adds humor in her story and even this book had it. I cracked up a lot while reading their banter.
However, the book loses that one and only star because I didn't like the wedding scene, where Ellie's day was almost ruined :( and also I couldn't really understand why he thought she was a gold digger when she had a rich family.
Anyway, I'm super Excited for Lucy's story... It has a toddler in it :D
I was very excited to read this since I liked Ellie's character in the first book of the trilogy. The snippet has Rio saying that they would set the bed on fire and it was the absolute truth because this lead pair had sizzling chemistry. I also liked how they could read each other well!
LG is my favorite in HP because she adds humor in her story and even this book had it. I cracked up a lot while reading their banter.
However, the book loses that one and only star because I didn't like the wedding scene, where Ellie's day was almost ruined :( and also I couldn't really understand why he thought she was a gold digger when she had a rich family.
Anyway, I'm super Excited for Lucy's story... It has a toddler in it :D
November 18, 2018
Hero still got "around" after meeting heroine. So the incindent was things were getting hot n heavy, took it to his room to find 2 girls who he had hooked up with in the past and he semi laughed...smirked?! If I was the heroine I would have walked off too. Anyway hero let heroine go (she slapped him, but he did act like an ass) and proceeds to get it on with the other 2. It didn't actually go in to detail but later on in the book the heroine asks him and he says "you don't want an answer to that" WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nope nope nope. Otherwise it might have been a better story, i did read it all.... but the hero is straight up a dick.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2017
I enjoyed this one very much. The Hero was initially antagonistic, but redeemed himself. His habits was a reason enough for the heroine to feel insecure and unsure about himself. I adore the sibling closeness and I was happy she found her father. A good read!
December 14, 2017
“Is it hug time?”
Ok. I started this book with a real aversion to Rio, the H. But as the story went on and you learned more about him, it was sooo easy to understand and love him.
He had so many hang-ups from his childhood- rightfully so. And Ellie was a challenge that he didn’t know how to handle. She was straightforward, honest, gave as good as she got and a gorgeous virgin. In short, she was all his. He just didn’t appreciate it at first, but he soon learned what a good thing he had.
When Ellie first hugged him I wanted to cry. He’d never had a simple show of affection like that before. He didn’t know what to do. I was kept entertained by their constant bickering and the angry sex was hot!
I also loved Beppe and wished that he was added to the Epilogue. A book that I can recommend wholeheartedly.
Ok. I started this book with a real aversion to Rio, the H. But as the story went on and you learned more about him, it was sooo easy to understand and love him.
He had so many hang-ups from his childhood- rightfully so. And Ellie was a challenge that he didn’t know how to handle. She was straightforward, honest, gave as good as she got and a gorgeous virgin. In short, she was all his. He just didn’t appreciate it at first, but he soon learned what a good thing he had.
When Ellie first hugged him I wanted to cry. He’d never had a simple show of affection like that before. He didn’t know what to do. I was kept entertained by their constant bickering and the angry sex was hot!
I also loved Beppe and wished that he was added to the Epilogue. A book that I can recommend wholeheartedly.
January 27, 2020
A lukewarm read for me. I decided to start other books while reading it because I’d keep drifting away. It did have some great LG elements and the dialogues would pick up but it dragged too much at other places. Esp towards the end. The OW story wasn’t perfectly construed. She didn’t have to return after all this time and lend her story to the plot.
Rio was alpha but a bit of a man ho imo. Those lipsticks in his drawers that his wife of a few weeks discovers, that was very insensitive and crude. Ellie was also very argumentative. The beginning of the book sounded like a couple of kids needlessly arguing to have the last word.
A need to find your father and travel far and wide for it, guess these over whelming plots don’t interest me as much.
I also want to add that Ellie being a doctor also seemed forceful to give leverage to her history and the cause for Rio to be suspicious about her. Her role as a doctor wasn’t played upon at all. She didn’t have any medical knowledge or terminology or anything useful at all to impart in the entire book. She doesn’t even rush to communicate with her hospital/practise while she’d gone for a few days off but ended up married to never return. Don’t know any doctors like that. The end.
Rio was alpha but a bit of a man ho imo. Those lipsticks in his drawers that his wife of a few weeks discovers, that was very insensitive and crude. Ellie was also very argumentative. The beginning of the book sounded like a couple of kids needlessly arguing to have the last word.
A need to find your father and travel far and wide for it, guess these over whelming plots don’t interest me as much.
I also want to add that Ellie being a doctor also seemed forceful to give leverage to her history and the cause for Rio to be suspicious about her. Her role as a doctor wasn’t played upon at all. She didn’t have any medical knowledge or terminology or anything useful at all to impart in the entire book. She doesn’t even rush to communicate with her hospital/practise while she’d gone for a few days off but ended up married to never return. Don’t know any doctors like that. The end.
June 8, 2021
With this ring…
Beautiful doctor Ellie Dixon once rejected Rio Benedetti’s passionate advances — and the fiery Italian hasn’t forgotten the insult! Ellie arrives in Italy bearing an antique sapphire ring and claiming to be the daughter of Rio’s godfather, which reawakens his rage…and a devastating longing!
I thee claim!
Rio won’t stop until he uncovers Ellie’s captivating curves — her heated surrender can’t come quickly enough! Facing the consequences of their abandon, Rio realizes Ellie’s pregnancy will break his godfather’s heart. There’s one solution: Rio will have to seduce her all the way to the altar
Beautiful doctor Ellie Dixon once rejected Rio Benedetti’s passionate advances — and the fiery Italian hasn’t forgotten the insult! Ellie arrives in Italy bearing an antique sapphire ring and claiming to be the daughter of Rio’s godfather, which reawakens his rage…and a devastating longing!
I thee claim!
Rio won’t stop until he uncovers Ellie’s captivating curves — her heated surrender can’t come quickly enough! Facing the consequences of their abandon, Rio realizes Ellie’s pregnancy will break his godfather’s heart. There’s one solution: Rio will have to seduce her all the way to the altar
March 5, 2017
Loved this story very much, there's everything from funny and amusing to utter vexation confounding hormones, it made me adore the book even more Lynne definitely did not disappoint. Cant wait for the next story in this trilogy, thank you Lynne
August 19, 2017
Overall I did really enjoy the book and its storyline. It was definitely a passionate story between Ellie and Rio with lots of heat surrounding the pair. And I am talking major heat, which was the crux of their story. What bothered me a little bit was Ellie. I understood where her character coming from and what she was feeling in her relationship with Rio, but sometimes her actions were a little much and kind of annoyed because I really thought she was blowing things out of portion in her relationship with Rio. I get that she was scared and trying to protect herself but still. He totally didn't deserve it. Usually wouldn't take the side of the hero especially when he didn't always do the right thing, but this instance I kind of have to. She was beyond paranoid, and it wasn't attractive.
Their relationship definitely unique dynamic to it and was definitely something that I have read before. There were lots of fights between them with lots of passionate and heat behind them but also a lot of anger. Not used to this much anger in the course of a romantic book. It added to their tension and was definitely part of their foreplay. They just kept going back and forth, bouncing off of each other to the point that they were setting each other on fire with all that sexual tension. It was different from anything that I read before and made it very interesting. It heightened their love scenes and made the page sizzle. They were fighting their attraction but it had to be released somehow and that was them fighting until they couldn't contain their attraction. They practically exploded. I appreciated the uniqueness of their relationship, and it was very entertaining to see it play out on the page. Some of the fight were hot and kind of sexy because like I said that was their foreplay. And I really could feel it come off the page. Just all that lovely tension and attraction between them. I will say that I thought that the anger and fighting carried on a little too long for my liking, but I get it was necessary and it was mainly due to her paranoid reactions.
It was kind of hard to be on Ellie's side sometimes because at times she was really irrational. For a woman who claimed to be sensible, logical, and boring., she was anything but. In fact she was on the opposite side of the spectrum. I get she had kept her emotions locked away and never been in love before, but still. It was overwhelming. Usually I don't mind my heroine being insecure, but Ellie was just beyond insecure, which caused her to lash out at Rio. Again very overwhelming.
Now if Rio did something that would have supported such an insecurity in her then it would have been a little more palatable, but that wasn't the case. Once they were married he did everything in his power to be a perfect husband to her and it seemed like it was never enough. I don't know what more he could have done because I thought he did a lot in the grand scheme of things. Once there was that turning point, there was no real evidence to doubt him, but she did. I didn't like that especially she kept complaining about stupid stuff. So, he wasn't perfect? So what? It would have been boring if he had. But I thought he really showed Ellie how much he cared about her and just ignored that or she was blind to the fact. I get she had her issues, but still.
I know it sounds like I didn't enjoy this book but I did. At least when Ellie stopped being a paranoid monster. I really enjoyed the heat and spark between them almost from the very beginning. The steaminess of their scenes together was totally incredible. Their attraction was so heightened in this story that it sucked me right in. I liked them together. I wish they had some more romantic scenes thrown in there. I loved all the honeymoon stuff. Very romantic. There was something missing a little bit at the end to give it that edge that was kind of needed to circumvent all that paranoid stuff she was going through. I don't know what, but it needed something that would have made me a little bit more satisfied. I guess I needed it to be more epic in the ending. And I needed a bit of a big gesture on one their parts, really should have been her because of her emotional reaction that was totally unfair Rio. I also enjoyed the fact that Ellie got to know who her father was, and I enjoyed seeing that relationship build. It was a good story though a little crazy at time.
On a side note: Rio did do some crazy things in his past before he got involved with Ellie. Things that I totally find a turn off in romance, but because of Ellie's irrational behavior that kind of overshadowed his past dalliances. That kind of pushed to the side and made me not my mind. Now if this was a different story with different characters I know I would have totally been turned off and turned off of him. But I wasn't, and I really liked him. I saw his big, caring heart from the beginning. He just hid it well after the circumstances that life gave him. He was a good guy that made mistakes in his life. He was real and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story with him acknowledging that he wasn't perfect but human. I wanted to hug him.
Their relationship definitely unique dynamic to it and was definitely something that I have read before. There were lots of fights between them with lots of passionate and heat behind them but also a lot of anger. Not used to this much anger in the course of a romantic book. It added to their tension and was definitely part of their foreplay. They just kept going back and forth, bouncing off of each other to the point that they were setting each other on fire with all that sexual tension. It was different from anything that I read before and made it very interesting. It heightened their love scenes and made the page sizzle. They were fighting their attraction but it had to be released somehow and that was them fighting until they couldn't contain their attraction. They practically exploded. I appreciated the uniqueness of their relationship, and it was very entertaining to see it play out on the page. Some of the fight were hot and kind of sexy because like I said that was their foreplay. And I really could feel it come off the page. Just all that lovely tension and attraction between them. I will say that I thought that the anger and fighting carried on a little too long for my liking, but I get it was necessary and it was mainly due to her paranoid reactions.
It was kind of hard to be on Ellie's side sometimes because at times she was really irrational. For a woman who claimed to be sensible, logical, and boring., she was anything but. In fact she was on the opposite side of the spectrum. I get she had kept her emotions locked away and never been in love before, but still. It was overwhelming. Usually I don't mind my heroine being insecure, but Ellie was just beyond insecure, which caused her to lash out at Rio. Again very overwhelming.
Now if Rio did something that would have supported such an insecurity in her then it would have been a little more palatable, but that wasn't the case. Once they were married he did everything in his power to be a perfect husband to her and it seemed like it was never enough. I don't know what more he could have done because I thought he did a lot in the grand scheme of things. Once there was that turning point, there was no real evidence to doubt him, but she did. I didn't like that especially she kept complaining about stupid stuff. So, he wasn't perfect? So what? It would have been boring if he had. But I thought he really showed Ellie how much he cared about her and just ignored that or she was blind to the fact. I get she had her issues, but still.
I know it sounds like I didn't enjoy this book but I did. At least when Ellie stopped being a paranoid monster. I really enjoyed the heat and spark between them almost from the very beginning. The steaminess of their scenes together was totally incredible. Their attraction was so heightened in this story that it sucked me right in. I liked them together. I wish they had some more romantic scenes thrown in there. I loved all the honeymoon stuff. Very romantic. There was something missing a little bit at the end to give it that edge that was kind of needed to circumvent all that paranoid stuff she was going through. I don't know what, but it needed something that would have made me a little bit more satisfied. I guess I needed it to be more epic in the ending. And I needed a bit of a big gesture on one their parts, really should have been her because of her emotional reaction that was totally unfair Rio. I also enjoyed the fact that Ellie got to know who her father was, and I enjoyed seeing that relationship build. It was a good story though a little crazy at time.
On a side note: Rio did do some crazy things in his past before he got involved with Ellie. Things that I totally find a turn off in romance, but because of Ellie's irrational behavior that kind of overshadowed his past dalliances. That kind of pushed to the side and made me not my mind. Now if this was a different story with different characters I know I would have totally been turned off and turned off of him. But I wasn't, and I really liked him. I saw his big, caring heart from the beginning. He just hid it well after the circumstances that life gave him. He was a good guy that made mistakes in his life. He was real and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story with him acknowledging that he wasn't perfect but human. I wanted to hug him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2017
Ellie Dixon never knew who her father was. The only clues she has are a ring in an envelope and two names. She travels to Italy with hope that she will learn who her father is. Rio our hero and Ellie had previously met at Ellie's sisters wedding. They very nearly had a one night stand. Ellie is hardly expecting to bump into him again. When he learns from his godfather that Ellie wants to meet him. Rio is immediately suspicious of her. As he is very protective of his godfather. Our hero has had a very difficult childhood. Abandoned in a dumpster by his drug addicted mother. Has left him with emotional scars. He thinks she is a gold digger. When all Ellie wants to know is who her father is, and possibly have a relationship with him. Ellie and Rio clash spectacularly and the chemistry is strong between them. One night leaves them with more then they bargained for. Can they reach a happily ever after? Pick up a copy and read it for yourself.
Arc received from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Arc received from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
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