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Winners' Circle #1
A Ring To Take His Revenge
He’ll do anything to settle the score…
…even faking an engagement!
To secure his revenge against his cruel father, billionaire Antonio Arcuri needs a fake fiancée—fast! He demands his shy PA Emma Guilham wear his diamond. In return, he’ll help fulfil her own dreams—starting with a jet-set trip to Buenos Aires! It’s a simple charade, until the burning tension between them erupts into irresistible desire. Now Antonio must decide between vengeance and Emma…
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2018
86 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Pippa Roscoe
337 books51 followersPippa Roscoe writes sexy romances for Harlequin Mills & Boon and loves every happy ending in each of her books. With a major coffee addiction and a mild not-so-secret crisp eating compulsion – she spends her days fantasising about extraordinary romances, exotic locations and true love against all odds.
After graduating with a degree and a masters from Goldsmiths University, Pippa spent four years working on the BBC medical drama Holby City. After switching industries to publishing and spending five years as an editor working with incredible colleagues and inspirational authors, she finally decided to follow her own dream of writing and swapped London for Norfolk.
In her spare time she looks longingly at the countryside which she promises to roam, if she can drag herself away from her computer for long enough. She prefers to write outside in the sunshine, but during the winter is consigned to the kitchen – the warmest room in the cottage!
She can’t remember a time when she wasn’t dreaming about gorgeous brooding alpha heroes and sympathetic innocent heroines. Totally her mother’s fault of course – she gave Pippa her first romance to read at the age of seven! Pippa is inconceivably happy that she gets to share those daydreams with you all.
After graduating with a degree and a masters from Goldsmiths University, Pippa spent four years working on the BBC medical drama Holby City. After switching industries to publishing and spending five years as an editor working with incredible colleagues and inspirational authors, she finally decided to follow her own dream of writing and swapped London for Norfolk.
In her spare time she looks longingly at the countryside which she promises to roam, if she can drag herself away from her computer for long enough. She prefers to write outside in the sunshine, but during the winter is consigned to the kitchen – the warmest room in the cottage!
She can’t remember a time when she wasn’t dreaming about gorgeous brooding alpha heroes and sympathetic innocent heroines. Totally her mother’s fault of course – she gave Pippa her first romance to read at the age of seven! Pippa is inconceivably happy that she gets to share those daydreams with you all.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 22, 2021
This was a thoroughly enjoyable and lovely romance story between Antonio Arcuri, head of Arcuri Enterprises, and his trusted and dependable PA, Emma Guilham. Antonio needs a fake fiancée to secure a business investment which he hopes to attain so it won’t fall to his rival who happens to be Antonio’s no-good father. Antonio is seeking revenge against his father for deserting and ruining his family. Emma is a cancer survivor, hoping to get her life back on track and doing the things she’s always wanted to do. Antonio and Emma were a wonderful couple who truly were meant for each other. I loved how Antonio was so kind, compassionate, and respectful towards Emma. And I liked that Emma was always trying to steer Antonio onto the right path to do the right thing. I also enjoyed Antonio’s very good friends Dimitri and Danyl who were like brothers to him. Such a wonderful read.
August 11, 2018
The novel had a great beginning but the entire middle portion of the story seemed to be just a lot of:
I really wanted to enjoy this story since the author's debut novel was quite romantic, but this novel seemed to be packed full of too many minor storylines that the core romance between the MC's suffered.
My issues with this novel are as follows:
1. The MC's had too much going on in their lives ( much more than in an average HP ) and were never primarily concerned with each other as potential romantic interests. The romantic storyline itself only showed signs of developing around the 65% marker of the novel. That's far too long to wait, in my opinion.
2. There was too much focus on other issues and minor characters. The MC's spent a lot of time pondering about their relatives and their relatives' problems. I understood that the author needed to mention these issues because they were central to the MC's personal development. However, it could've been edited a bit so that I didn't have to keep reading about Emma's mother or about Antonio's sister etc.
3. Too much focus on the H's best friends Dimitri and Danyl. It seems obvious that they're going to get their own spin off bks but the author could've been more economical and merely given them just a cameo appearance and a couple of mentions. That's all that's needed to titillate a reader into wanting to read their stories when the relevant books are published.
4. The MC's didn't appear to share intense chemistry. They were attracted to each other from the time they met yet he was more than happy to continue banging his other women while she was content to be the dutiful PA who sent them flowers and diamonds when he dumped them. This is a particular storyline that I don't like too much. I know that the H was not technically cheating on Emma during these 18 months since they were not involved. Therefore I don't hate him for going around with his other women since Emma was only his PA, after all. I'm not that delusional to hate a H or label him a cheater when he's not yet involved with the heroine. However the emotional part of me finds this a bit distasteful even though the logical part knows I have no reason to complain.
5. I disliked the part of the storyline where Emma seemed happy enough to compile a list of potential fake fiancees for Antonio. The WTF part of the novel occurred when Emma actually told Antonio that one of the women ( Natalie or Natasha or something with "N" ) was her favourite one on the list. And, Natalie/Natasha/N seemed a little too "fake-perfect" in that smiley-smiley motivational speaker kind of manner. Hey, I wasn't told that the woman's a motivational speaker; it's just the impression that I got during the short scene where she's introduced. She just seemed too nice and not in a sweet Mary Sue way either but in a fake polished manner. Honestly, people who are like that just give me the creeps...
6. Emma was the Stepford wife type of PA. She was literally like this perfect, unfeeling robot who did whatever Antonio asked her to do. I would've preferred if she'd been a little more human. However, I understood why Emma was such a perfectionist; she'd survived teenage breast cancer and had a double mastectomy, followed by tedious breast reconstruction. It made her determined to work hard at whatever she did in an effort to prove that she's more than just a survivor but that she's a winner. I admired that a lot.
7. The MC's consummated their relationship in a very rushed manner and it just happened right after Emma got her fashionable makeover. There was a huge jump from a totally platonic relationship, to a scene where just one kiss was exchanged to the scene where they have a one night stand. The kiss happened early in the story but the rest was packed into the final 25% of the novel. And, all the yada, yada, yada parts occurred between the first kiss and the consummation scene.
The good points about the novel:
1. The author portrayed the cancer survivor storyline in a positive manner. Emma was not a depressed victim but a strong young woman and I enjoyed reading this part. She didn't feel sorry for herself and she accomplished a lot more with her life than non cancer survivors in her own age group would've managed.
2. The author also included a few important social messages in the storyline:
- People who're in charge of important charities need to be chosen carefully and those posts shouldn't be given to people who have social status but no inherent love for that specific charitable cause.
- Bullying based on social media stalking is a crime and downloading another person's social media information for nefarious purposes is also criminal.
3. Emma stood up for her beliefs at the end and left Antonio when he decided to use an unethical strategy in order to accomplish his goals for vengeance against his dad.
Final thoughts:
I just couldn't respond to these MC's as a romantic couple. I couldn't feel their chemistry even though I was told that they were so attracted to each other. But, the epilogue was perhaps the best part of the novel. It was cute and romantic and the MC's had a baby son by that time. That bit of information had me rushing off to google the probability of a cancer survivor being able to conceive a child. I didn't do a lot of research but the first couple of hits I read, revealed that sometimes a healthy young woman can start to produce viable eggs once the chemo drugs are out of her system completely.
This obviously didn't work for me but I'll still give the author another try and see if the next novel is as good as her debut. Of course, I might be the problem rather than the novel. I do tend to prefer romances that are more inherently filled with romance and/or passionate chemistry between MC's. I'm sure this will be a winner for some readers.
I really wanted to enjoy this story since the author's debut novel was quite romantic, but this novel seemed to be packed full of too many minor storylines that the core romance between the MC's suffered.
My issues with this novel are as follows:
1. The MC's had too much going on in their lives ( much more than in an average HP ) and were never primarily concerned with each other as potential romantic interests. The romantic storyline itself only showed signs of developing around the 65% marker of the novel. That's far too long to wait, in my opinion.
2. There was too much focus on other issues and minor characters. The MC's spent a lot of time pondering about their relatives and their relatives' problems. I understood that the author needed to mention these issues because they were central to the MC's personal development. However, it could've been edited a bit so that I didn't have to keep reading about Emma's mother or about Antonio's sister etc.
3. Too much focus on the H's best friends Dimitri and Danyl. It seems obvious that they're going to get their own spin off bks but the author could've been more economical and merely given them just a cameo appearance and a couple of mentions. That's all that's needed to titillate a reader into wanting to read their stories when the relevant books are published.
4. The MC's didn't appear to share intense chemistry. They were attracted to each other from the time they met yet he was more than happy to continue banging his other women while she was content to be the dutiful PA who sent them flowers and diamonds when he dumped them. This is a particular storyline that I don't like too much. I know that the H was not technically cheating on Emma during these 18 months since they were not involved. Therefore I don't hate him for going around with his other women since Emma was only his PA, after all. I'm not that delusional to hate a H or label him a cheater when he's not yet involved with the heroine. However the emotional part of me finds this a bit distasteful even though the logical part knows I have no reason to complain.
5. I disliked the part of the storyline where Emma seemed happy enough to compile a list of potential fake fiancees for Antonio. The WTF part of the novel occurred when Emma actually told Antonio that one of the women ( Natalie or Natasha or something with "N" ) was her favourite one on the list. And, Natalie/Natasha/N seemed a little too "fake-perfect" in that smiley-smiley motivational speaker kind of manner. Hey, I wasn't told that the woman's a motivational speaker; it's just the impression that I got during the short scene where she's introduced. She just seemed too nice and not in a sweet Mary Sue way either but in a fake polished manner. Honestly, people who are like that just give me the creeps...
6. Emma was the Stepford wife type of PA. She was literally like this perfect, unfeeling robot who did whatever Antonio asked her to do. I would've preferred if she'd been a little more human. However, I understood why Emma was such a perfectionist; she'd survived teenage breast cancer and had a double mastectomy, followed by tedious breast reconstruction. It made her determined to work hard at whatever she did in an effort to prove that she's more than just a survivor but that she's a winner. I admired that a lot.
7. The MC's consummated their relationship in a very rushed manner and it just happened right after Emma got her fashionable makeover. There was a huge jump from a totally platonic relationship, to a scene where just one kiss was exchanged to the scene where they have a one night stand. The kiss happened early in the story but the rest was packed into the final 25% of the novel. And, all the yada, yada, yada parts occurred between the first kiss and the consummation scene.
The good points about the novel:
1. The author portrayed the cancer survivor storyline in a positive manner. Emma was not a depressed victim but a strong young woman and I enjoyed reading this part. She didn't feel sorry for herself and she accomplished a lot more with her life than non cancer survivors in her own age group would've managed.
2. The author also included a few important social messages in the storyline:
- People who're in charge of important charities need to be chosen carefully and those posts shouldn't be given to people who have social status but no inherent love for that specific charitable cause.
- Bullying based on social media stalking is a crime and downloading another person's social media information for nefarious purposes is also criminal.
3. Emma stood up for her beliefs at the end and left Antonio when he decided to use an unethical strategy in order to accomplish his goals for vengeance against his dad.
Final thoughts:
I just couldn't respond to these MC's as a romantic couple. I couldn't feel their chemistry even though I was told that they were so attracted to each other. But, the epilogue was perhaps the best part of the novel. It was cute and romantic and the MC's had a baby son by that time. That bit of information had me rushing off to google the probability of a cancer survivor being able to conceive a child. I didn't do a lot of research but the first couple of hits I read, revealed that sometimes a healthy young woman can start to produce viable eggs once the chemo drugs are out of her system completely.
This obviously didn't work for me but I'll still give the author another try and see if the next novel is as good as her debut. Of course, I might be the problem rather than the novel. I do tend to prefer romances that are more inherently filled with romance and/or passionate chemistry between MC's. I'm sure this will be a winner for some readers.
August 4, 2018
Very depressing read (heroine is cancer survivor) plus this new author’s writing style is not for me.
May 16, 2022
On page 39, I decided this HP was problematic and not worth my time. Heroine is setting up fake fiances for the hero and doing so happily. There's no attraction between the hero and heroine. I'm learning so much boring detail about the hero. I haven't learned much about the heroine at this point. I learnt the hero was dating other women after hiring the heroine to be his personal assisstant. So the hero was attracted to other women while the heroine was in his proximity but not the heroine. I kept hoping the romance between the hero and heroine would blossum sooner rather than later. Well. The heroine eagerly helping the hero find a fake fiance was my hard pass. So on page 39 I decided I was done with this slow slow slow slow burn romance.
June 15, 2019
Emma and Antonio's story touched me in so many ways! This is an emotional and well written book about a flawed hero and a heroine who didnt see herself worthy of being loved for the strong woman that she is. This book dealt with a subject matter close to my heart, having also fought a hard battle with cancer. This aspect of the book made it a little darker than most HPs but a truly beautiful book overall.
September 14, 2018
This is a excellent story, a story of revenge and of love that is so true, a love that shows two people how to open up and show the goodness and the beauty in them, this is one that I devoured, inhaled every word, MS Roscoe weaves a magical story that you will not want to put down.
Antonio Arcuri has worked hard to become the billionaire that he is today, after being treated so badly by his father years before and he swears that one day he will get that revenge on his father, but when a deal comes up that could make this come true he needs a fiancé to help him and the best candidate is his awesome PA Emma Guuilham, he knows how good she is at her job but he knows nothing personal about her yet, and this journey for Antonio is going open up a love of emotions as he falls hard for this beautiful woman.
Emma has been through a lot in her life already and is working toward her “living List” and marking of the things that she really wants to do and when her boss Antonio asks her to be his fake fiancé and she can choose whatever she wants as payment for this, Emma sees this as a way to get more of her “Living List” crossed of, but she doesn’t see falling in love on that list anywhere.
This is a story that grabbed me from page one beautifully written, with characters that come to life on the pages it is moving, emotional and it sizzles with sensual delight as Antonio and Emma take that long journey of opening up to each other and falling in love. Antonio made Emma feel so very beautiful for the first time in a long time and Emma made Antonio realize that going after revenge is not always what it is stacked up to be. Thank you MS Roscoe for another keeper and I do look forward to Dimitri and Danyl’s stories a Greek and a Sheikh you have won me already
Antonio Arcuri has worked hard to become the billionaire that he is today, after being treated so badly by his father years before and he swears that one day he will get that revenge on his father, but when a deal comes up that could make this come true he needs a fiancé to help him and the best candidate is his awesome PA Emma Guuilham, he knows how good she is at her job but he knows nothing personal about her yet, and this journey for Antonio is going open up a love of emotions as he falls hard for this beautiful woman.
Emma has been through a lot in her life already and is working toward her “living List” and marking of the things that she really wants to do and when her boss Antonio asks her to be his fake fiancé and she can choose whatever she wants as payment for this, Emma sees this as a way to get more of her “Living List” crossed of, but she doesn’t see falling in love on that list anywhere.
This is a story that grabbed me from page one beautifully written, with characters that come to life on the pages it is moving, emotional and it sizzles with sensual delight as Antonio and Emma take that long journey of opening up to each other and falling in love. Antonio made Emma feel so very beautiful for the first time in a long time and Emma made Antonio realize that going after revenge is not always what it is stacked up to be. Thank you MS Roscoe for another keeper and I do look forward to Dimitri and Danyl’s stories a Greek and a Sheikh you have won me already
May 6, 2019
An emotional read about revenge and being a survivor.
Billionaire Antonio wants to win a specific business deal more than anything. Winning it will guarantee the destruction of his enemy. To win it, he needs a fake fiancée and asks his PA for help in finding one.
Emma has worked for Antonio for 18 months. She’s kept her professionalism through all his “not in my job description” requests. But this one takes the cake. Finding his a fake fiancée for a pretend engagement to win a business contract? It’s ridiculous, until he decides that she will make the perfect fake fiancée.
What should have been a fun light read turned into one a little darker and more powerful than I expected. Antonio’s family’s betrayal was bad enough, but Emma’s story of survival and reclamation of her body was inspirational.
I loved the author’s sensitivity in how Antonio accepted and worshipped Emma’s body, giving her back the power she lost at 17. It gave me ALL the feels. Not all men are that secure in themselves. God’s blessings to the ones who are. And to the tattoo artists that help women reclaim their sense of beauty.
Billionaire Antonio wants to win a specific business deal more than anything. Winning it will guarantee the destruction of his enemy. To win it, he needs a fake fiancée and asks his PA for help in finding one.
Emma has worked for Antonio for 18 months. She’s kept her professionalism through all his “not in my job description” requests. But this one takes the cake. Finding his a fake fiancée for a pretend engagement to win a business contract? It’s ridiculous, until he decides that she will make the perfect fake fiancée.
What should have been a fun light read turned into one a little darker and more powerful than I expected. Antonio’s family’s betrayal was bad enough, but Emma’s story of survival and reclamation of her body was inspirational.
I loved the author’s sensitivity in how Antonio accepted and worshipped Emma’s body, giving her back the power she lost at 17. It gave me ALL the feels. Not all men are that secure in themselves. God’s blessings to the ones who are. And to the tattoo artists that help women reclaim their sense of beauty.
September 7, 2018
A Ring to Take His Revenge by Pippa Roscoe is the first in a trio of sexy romances featuring three wealthy male friends who own a racing syndicate, the Winners’ Circle. This story features an international businessman and his personal assistant in a ‘fake relationship turned real’ romance.
Emma Guilham has already been through her share of hard times, having breast cancer at the tender age of seventeen, followed by a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery. She’s determined to live life on her own terms and has worked hard to get her international business degree. She’s fully qualified for the position she’s applying for – that of personal assistant to Antonio Arcuri, one of the three men who run the Winners’ Circle. She impresses Antonio, and he hires her without reservation.
Eighteen months later, Antonio has come to rely on his PA and her efficient ways. Now he needs her to perform an extra, unusual task – find him a ‘fake fiancee’ in order to assist him in getting a deal to go his way with a conservative businessman. It will serve double duty in getting revenge on his estranged father, a man whom he blames for the trauma his mother and sister endured when his philandering ways cast them out of their home. It soon becomes apparent that the best woman for the job is Emma herself. Going from a strictly business relationship to a fake engagement comes with some interesting perks, including a sexual attraction that can now be acknowledged, and succumbed to. They’ve no need of pretending an interest in each other once they experience some sensual delights. But will their fake engagement become the real thing?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-a-r...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
Emma Guilham has already been through her share of hard times, having breast cancer at the tender age of seventeen, followed by a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery. She’s determined to live life on her own terms and has worked hard to get her international business degree. She’s fully qualified for the position she’s applying for – that of personal assistant to Antonio Arcuri, one of the three men who run the Winners’ Circle. She impresses Antonio, and he hires her without reservation.
Eighteen months later, Antonio has come to rely on his PA and her efficient ways. Now he needs her to perform an extra, unusual task – find him a ‘fake fiancee’ in order to assist him in getting a deal to go his way with a conservative businessman. It will serve double duty in getting revenge on his estranged father, a man whom he blames for the trauma his mother and sister endured when his philandering ways cast them out of their home. It soon becomes apparent that the best woman for the job is Emma herself. Going from a strictly business relationship to a fake engagement comes with some interesting perks, including a sexual attraction that can now be acknowledged, and succumbed to. They’ve no need of pretending an interest in each other once they experience some sensual delights. But will their fake engagement become the real thing?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-a-r...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
November 9, 2023
Antonio is all out for revenge against his father who devastated his mother and sister when the father ejected them from their home. Antonio needs to bring a fiance to convince a businessman that *he* is the better person to partner with, rather than Antonio's father, because the father's finances can't take the hit if *his* proposal doesn't go through. Antonio's PA, Emma, is tapped for the role, but things don't go according to plan.
I loved this story and how strong Emma was, despite her trials, despite her love for Antonio.
I loved this story and how strong Emma was, despite her trials, despite her love for Antonio.
September 11, 2018
This was the first book that I have ever read by this author, and happens to be the second book that she has written thus far for Harlequin Presents. And I have to say for an introduction to this writer it was a very good one. I enjoyed this story very much and found myself pretty much into it from the very beginning.
It was a nice, sweet read between Antonio and Emma who both needed healing from past hurts that had been inflicted in their lives because of circumstances. It was only due them falling in love that they could heal each other wounds and become better people. They needed each other in order to move on. They gained strength from each other, which was very beautiful.
Their romance was a steady build that kept growing and growing over the course of the book. Their attraction and connection with one another was there from the beginning but kept it denied because they knew that if they let go and let down their guard with each other then this would become a very significant relationship between for both of them and neither was really ready for that type of relationship so they needed that time before coming together.
What I found really unique about this romance was that it was with a woman that had battled breast cancer and was in remission but due to the cancer she had a mastectomy and a reconstruction and had a bit of insecurity issue with her body because of it. Because it that she kept people at a distance not wanting to show them all over her both physically and mentally. She was scared of being rejected because of that and accepted the fact that she was never going to fall in love cause of that. What was unique about this was that it is very rare to read about this type of heroine in a romance. I think I have read only one other such book like that so that really brought a nice layer to the story and what Emma had to overcome. The beautiful part of it was that Antonio did everything in his powerful to make sure Emma knew that she was absolutely beautiful and that he very much desired. Just the little things that he did made the story very beautiful and very poignant. It gave strength to their relationship as he earned her trust and she let him see the true her, and he treated her so beautifully and tenderly that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with them as a couple. The very big moment for them was definitely when they made love the first time because it was very sensual, passionate and full of tenderness and emotions that I couldn’t help but be in awe of that scene.
With all this love going around, there were some up and downs along the way mainly in lieu of Antonio looking for revenge on his father and doing everything in his power to make that realty. He even enlisted Emma to be his fake fiancée in order to win a business deal away from his father. There were lot of dark emotions going on with him and lots that hadn’t healed, but by having that relationship with Emma made him learn that revenge wasn’t the most important thing in the world. He didn’t like the darkness within him when he looked at himself in the mirror and that was due to Emma. He wanted to be a better person for her.
There was a little bit of angst in this one, but not overly much. It was more a will they/won’t they come together in the bedroom or not. I think there could have been a little more, and I would preferred it that way, but it wasn’t horrible either. It was just a nice steady build to until they finally did come together.
Secondly even though there were a lot of romantic things that happened in this story, I kind of wish there were a few more things especially since there were things that could have been done that was elude to. For example, her living list that she had made while she was undergoing her treatments for cancer of all the things she wanted to do after she recovered. If they did a few things off that list, I think that would have been beyond romantic and very sweet especially if they shared them together. The two prime examples that I could think of were the sunset in the desert and the sunrise in the Mediterranean would have been a real nice touch to the story. Just something a little more romantic.
Overall, I will definitely be checking this author out again after a start like this. It had very beautiful moments between Emma and Antonio as their romance bloomed and they helped each other heal along the way. They had this connection from early on with underlying sexual tension simmering beneath the surface. This book had some dark undertones with some of the issues that both of them were going through but it also had lightness to it too because of the love that they had for each other. They had some flirty moments too, which was very entertaining. I really enjoyed seeing the whole aftermath of cancer play out and just what that all meant for Emma and how she dealt with life afterwards. In fact she really didn’t trust anyone until she met Antonio then she felt like she could trust him in order to explore her sensual side. She felt safe with him in a way she didn’t with anyone else in her life. It was really nice to see that transformation for Emma and just see her strength as a woman really come through. Love made her stronger and that’s what the crux of romance is supposed to be. Could there have been more angst and romance? Yes, but that didn’t deter my enjoyment into the introduction to this author and the story in general. Can’t wait to see more from this upcoming author.
It was a nice, sweet read between Antonio and Emma who both needed healing from past hurts that had been inflicted in their lives because of circumstances. It was only due them falling in love that they could heal each other wounds and become better people. They needed each other in order to move on. They gained strength from each other, which was very beautiful.
Their romance was a steady build that kept growing and growing over the course of the book. Their attraction and connection with one another was there from the beginning but kept it denied because they knew that if they let go and let down their guard with each other then this would become a very significant relationship between for both of them and neither was really ready for that type of relationship so they needed that time before coming together.
What I found really unique about this romance was that it was with a woman that had battled breast cancer and was in remission but due to the cancer she had a mastectomy and a reconstruction and had a bit of insecurity issue with her body because of it. Because it that she kept people at a distance not wanting to show them all over her both physically and mentally. She was scared of being rejected because of that and accepted the fact that she was never going to fall in love cause of that. What was unique about this was that it is very rare to read about this type of heroine in a romance. I think I have read only one other such book like that so that really brought a nice layer to the story and what Emma had to overcome. The beautiful part of it was that Antonio did everything in his powerful to make sure Emma knew that she was absolutely beautiful and that he very much desired. Just the little things that he did made the story very beautiful and very poignant. It gave strength to their relationship as he earned her trust and she let him see the true her, and he treated her so beautifully and tenderly that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with them as a couple. The very big moment for them was definitely when they made love the first time because it was very sensual, passionate and full of tenderness and emotions that I couldn’t help but be in awe of that scene.
With all this love going around, there were some up and downs along the way mainly in lieu of Antonio looking for revenge on his father and doing everything in his power to make that realty. He even enlisted Emma to be his fake fiancée in order to win a business deal away from his father. There were lot of dark emotions going on with him and lots that hadn’t healed, but by having that relationship with Emma made him learn that revenge wasn’t the most important thing in the world. He didn’t like the darkness within him when he looked at himself in the mirror and that was due to Emma. He wanted to be a better person for her.
There was a little bit of angst in this one, but not overly much. It was more a will they/won’t they come together in the bedroom or not. I think there could have been a little more, and I would preferred it that way, but it wasn’t horrible either. It was just a nice steady build to until they finally did come together.
Secondly even though there were a lot of romantic things that happened in this story, I kind of wish there were a few more things especially since there were things that could have been done that was elude to. For example, her living list that she had made while she was undergoing her treatments for cancer of all the things she wanted to do after she recovered. If they did a few things off that list, I think that would have been beyond romantic and very sweet especially if they shared them together. The two prime examples that I could think of were the sunset in the desert and the sunrise in the Mediterranean would have been a real nice touch to the story. Just something a little more romantic.
Overall, I will definitely be checking this author out again after a start like this. It had very beautiful moments between Emma and Antonio as their romance bloomed and they helped each other heal along the way. They had this connection from early on with underlying sexual tension simmering beneath the surface. This book had some dark undertones with some of the issues that both of them were going through but it also had lightness to it too because of the love that they had for each other. They had some flirty moments too, which was very entertaining. I really enjoyed seeing the whole aftermath of cancer play out and just what that all meant for Emma and how she dealt with life afterwards. In fact she really didn’t trust anyone until she met Antonio then she felt like she could trust him in order to explore her sensual side. She felt safe with him in a way she didn’t with anyone else in her life. It was really nice to see that transformation for Emma and just see her strength as a woman really come through. Love made her stronger and that’s what the crux of romance is supposed to be. Could there have been more angst and romance? Yes, but that didn’t deter my enjoyment into the introduction to this author and the story in general. Can’t wait to see more from this upcoming author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2018
It is the first time I have read where the h had breast cancer and had a mastectomy. She had implants and tattoos the rest of her breast anatomy. The H was understanding and compassionate. He really did love her despite her 'inadequacies '. This book is worth reading 📚 especially when they was more real than perfect. The H is exactly the way women want their men to be like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2019
Pippa Roscoe brings to life her latest book—A Ring to Take His Revenge—with vivid imagery, engaging dialogue and three-dimensional characters who march on to the page with pomp and grace. The hero is this flawed alpha who gets the better of you and the heroine is no pushover. I enjoyed the fast-paced, sophisticated feel to the storyline and the classic Presents vibe the romance itself encapsulated.
Highly Recommended
4.5 Stars
Highly Recommended
4.5 Stars
January 3, 2020
I like Emma, her courage, a look at life and hope for better tomorrow.
March 22, 2022
A Ring to Take His Revenge, Book 1 of The Winners' Circle series, was about billionaire Antonio Arcuri and Emma Guilham his personal assistant.
Eighteen months ago, Emma had been hired in England to serve as Antonio's personal assistant in New York. Upon receiving an early morning notice that he was making an unscheduled visit, she hurried into the office, noting that his impending arrival had sent all of his employees into a panic. After smoothing their ruffled feathers and assuring them that his visit was not about cutting staff, she went back to work, only to have him enter the office unannounced and start barking instructions at her. Not bothered by his attitude, she did as he asked.
While visiting with his family in Italy, Antonio had received some information on a possible deal he could make that see to it that he would finally have revenge against his father, against whom he held a bitter resentment.
As he eagerly considered the deal, he was told that, in order to ensure things went his way, he needed a wife..or at least a temporary fiance. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that Emma was the only choice. So he made her a deal, and she reluctantly agreed.
This story of revenge was just that, vengeful. It was full of angst, drama, anger, and hate. But it also had the chemistry and hot passion that flowed between Antonio and Emma, and the friendship with Danyl and Dimitri that had stood the test of time. The twists and turns of the book were hard but also enjoyable to read because they kept the reader glued to the pages and feeling each emotion as they happened. There was heartache but there was also triumph and survival. I think, in all of the romance novels I've read in my lifetime, there have been few that included real-life struggles such as was in this story. It made the characters that much more real than just the emotions the author assigned to each one of them. It showed the struggles each one had to deal with in order to become the strong, mature, well-developed character they were...and they definitely were strong, mature, and well-developed. There was a strength of character that you don't normally get to read about in romance novels. This book absolutely earned the five-star rating and the right to be added to the Keeper for the Shelves collection.
Eighteen months ago, Emma had been hired in England to serve as Antonio's personal assistant in New York. Upon receiving an early morning notice that he was making an unscheduled visit, she hurried into the office, noting that his impending arrival had sent all of his employees into a panic. After smoothing their ruffled feathers and assuring them that his visit was not about cutting staff, she went back to work, only to have him enter the office unannounced and start barking instructions at her. Not bothered by his attitude, she did as he asked.
While visiting with his family in Italy, Antonio had received some information on a possible deal he could make that see to it that he would finally have revenge against his father, against whom he held a bitter resentment.
As he eagerly considered the deal, he was told that, in order to ensure things went his way, he needed a wife..or at least a temporary fiance. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that Emma was the only choice. So he made her a deal, and she reluctantly agreed.
This story of revenge was just that, vengeful. It was full of angst, drama, anger, and hate. But it also had the chemistry and hot passion that flowed between Antonio and Emma, and the friendship with Danyl and Dimitri that had stood the test of time. The twists and turns of the book were hard but also enjoyable to read because they kept the reader glued to the pages and feeling each emotion as they happened. There was heartache but there was also triumph and survival. I think, in all of the romance novels I've read in my lifetime, there have been few that included real-life struggles such as was in this story. It made the characters that much more real than just the emotions the author assigned to each one of them. It showed the struggles each one had to deal with in order to become the strong, mature, well-developed character they were...and they definitely were strong, mature, and well-developed. There was a strength of character that you don't normally get to read about in romance novels. This book absolutely earned the five-star rating and the right to be added to the Keeper for the Shelves collection.
August 2, 2018
I cannot do justice to this book so I will give some of the story but not too much as to destroy the readers enjoyment. Part of the Winner's circle series, Ms. Roscoe has written a book that deserves more than 5 stars. It is an lovely story with such depth and the characters are amazing, her lines are so cute and you will truly enjoy every minute of it . So just a little highlight of what its about. Antonio Arcuri feels he has it all , well almost, the one thing he wants is to be a sole investor in a company. However Benjamin Bartlett is a family man with high morals so he isn't sure Antonio is the person to invest. Antonio does not want another person( who I won't give away), to invest so he asks his PA Emma Guilham to find him a fiancé in 2 days, to which she answers "I am not Amazon prime". Emma is working for him for over a year and has some feelings for him but she is a cancer survivor and afraid to allow herself to love being so close to losing it all. When Antonio decides his time is up for the deal, he asks her to be his make believe fiancé, Not knowing anything about her illness. The rest of this story is golden. I know I have not given much info but you must read it or you will have missed a fantastic book. Don't pass this one up. Mine is on my keeper shelf
August 23, 2018
Revenge is a powerful motivator! Pippa Roscoe brings us the story of a man who cares deeply for his family and wants the man that brought them pain to suffer justly. He's willing to use a woman he really knows very little about in order to further his cause ... but as he begins to learn her story and see the person behind the shyness, he starts to want to protect her just as much as his family. The characters are intriguing and the story line was satisfying.
Antonio Arcuri has been waiting sixteen years to reap the revenge his family so richly deserves against the man that tore them apart and left them in ruins. On the cusp of a business deal that would be the final shove needed to ruin his father once and for all, Antonio will stop at nothing to make sure it happens. Even fake an engagement with the least likely woman around!
Personal assistant Emma Guilham is rather meek when it comes to his overbearing nature, and she never expects him to offer to make all of her dreams come true if only she'll pretend to be his fiancee for long enough to get this contract that will revenge his family. She reluctantly agrees to the farce, but as they spend time together and set out to be seen as a couple, it starts to feel all too real!
Antonio Arcuri has been waiting sixteen years to reap the revenge his family so richly deserves against the man that tore them apart and left them in ruins. On the cusp of a business deal that would be the final shove needed to ruin his father once and for all, Antonio will stop at nothing to make sure it happens. Even fake an engagement with the least likely woman around!
Personal assistant Emma Guilham is rather meek when it comes to his overbearing nature, and she never expects him to offer to make all of her dreams come true if only she'll pretend to be his fiancee for long enough to get this contract that will revenge his family. She reluctantly agrees to the farce, but as they spend time together and set out to be seen as a couple, it starts to feel all too real!
hq-to-read
August 10, 2018He’ll do anything to settle the score……even fake an engagement!
To secure his revenge against his cruel father, billionaire Antonio Arcuri needs a fake fiancée—fast! He demands his shy PA, Emma Guilham, wear his diamond. In return, he’ll help fulfill her dreams—starting with a jet-set trip to Buenos Aires! It’s a simple charade, until the burning tension between them erupts into irresistible desire. Now Antonio must decide between vengeance and Emma…Three of the world's most notorious bachelors are about to find love in the most unexpected of places!
Antonio, Dimitri and Danyl are bound by a passion for the boardroom, the bedroom and a friendship stronger than blood. And these proud, demanding men have just taken a challenge few could ever hope to achieve. Their horse racing Syndicate is out to win the three legs of the Hanley Cup in Buenos Aires, Dublin and Sydney. With the press hounding their every move, the scandals are sure to follow. Don't miss the first in this fabulous trilogy.
To secure his revenge against his cruel father, billionaire Antonio Arcuri needs a fake fiancée—fast! He demands his shy PA, Emma Guilham, wear his diamond. In return, he’ll help fulfill her dreams—starting with a jet-set trip to Buenos Aires! It’s a simple charade, until the burning tension between them erupts into irresistible desire. Now Antonio must decide between vengeance and Emma…Three of the world's most notorious bachelors are about to find love in the most unexpected of places!
Antonio, Dimitri and Danyl are bound by a passion for the boardroom, the bedroom and a friendship stronger than blood. And these proud, demanding men have just taken a challenge few could ever hope to achieve. Their horse racing Syndicate is out to win the three legs of the Hanley Cup in Buenos Aires, Dublin and Sydney. With the press hounding their every move, the scandals are sure to follow. Don't miss the first in this fabulous trilogy.
August 30, 2018
A RING TO TAKE HIS REVENGE by author Pippa Roscoe is a September 2018 release by Harlequin Presents series.
Business tycoon Antonio Arcuri asked his PA Emma Guilham to pose as his fiancée so that he can be seen as a stable family man. But it was all for a business deal. He wanted revenge against his father for the way he had treated his mother and sister.
He had expected a straight forward business deal, but things never go according to plan, right? Emma had hidden depths and secrets that he had yet to uncover. And the scorching chemistry between them made them give in to the passion.
So what would happen now? Would they go back to the deal? Would Antonio walk away from Emma after his revenge is over? And would he choose his revenge over Emma?
A RING TO TAKE HIS REVENGE is an intense contemporary romance. The shimmering emotions and sizzling sensuality would keep a reader glued to the pages till the very end. Author Pippa Roscoe once again astounds readers with this mesmerizing romance.
Highly recommended for all readers of romance.
Business tycoon Antonio Arcuri asked his PA Emma Guilham to pose as his fiancée so that he can be seen as a stable family man. But it was all for a business deal. He wanted revenge against his father for the way he had treated his mother and sister.
He had expected a straight forward business deal, but things never go according to plan, right? Emma had hidden depths and secrets that he had yet to uncover. And the scorching chemistry between them made them give in to the passion.
So what would happen now? Would they go back to the deal? Would Antonio walk away from Emma after his revenge is over? And would he choose his revenge over Emma?
A RING TO TAKE HIS REVENGE is an intense contemporary romance. The shimmering emotions and sizzling sensuality would keep a reader glued to the pages till the very end. Author Pippa Roscoe once again astounds readers with this mesmerizing romance.
Highly recommended for all readers of romance.
May 18, 2019
A Winning Marriage
I love when I can admire a character and have a profound amount of respect for them and their journey. That's how I feel about Emma.
She's a wonderfully intellectual woman with organisational skills and a can-do attitude so impressionable that I wouldn't think twice about her being my P.A.
Antonio Arcuri is an insatiable business-minded male who ticks all my boxes. When you put two of these characters together, as the wonderful Pippa Roscoe, has done, you get a beautiful partnership.
Okay so it had taken Antonio a while to realise what a perfectly convenient wife she would make but hell when the penny did drop...ahhh I love it. I love them. I love the ability Emma has to bring this powerful man to his knees.
The romance and chemistry between these two was perfectly executed. I really enjoyed the comradeship between Antonio, Danyl and Dimitri, so much so that I'm ready to dive into Dimitri's next and Danyl's has been pre-ordered!
I love when I can admire a character and have a profound amount of respect for them and their journey. That's how I feel about Emma.
She's a wonderfully intellectual woman with organisational skills and a can-do attitude so impressionable that I wouldn't think twice about her being my P.A.
Antonio Arcuri is an insatiable business-minded male who ticks all my boxes. When you put two of these characters together, as the wonderful Pippa Roscoe, has done, you get a beautiful partnership.
Okay so it had taken Antonio a while to realise what a perfectly convenient wife she would make but hell when the penny did drop...ahhh I love it. I love them. I love the ability Emma has to bring this powerful man to his knees.
The romance and chemistry between these two was perfectly executed. I really enjoyed the comradeship between Antonio, Danyl and Dimitri, so much so that I'm ready to dive into Dimitri's next and Danyl's has been pre-ordered!
August 18, 2018
Loved this first book in Pippa Roscoe's trilogy, The Winners' Circle. Lots of sexual chemistry between the H and h in this 'fake fiancée' revenge plot. You can't help but love the h for her strength and bravery after she starts to re build her life after breast cancer. Although the H is weighed down by the hatred he has for his monster of a father, I really liked his character and his treatment of the h ( I felt that he genuinely liked Emma from the very start of their work relationship). Love wins the day and the epilogue is wonderful. I can't wait for the other two books in this series. This is Roscoe's second book for HP and it's another winner!
December 29, 2018
A trashy romance read with a difference. This one had a unique female lead in that she is a 23 years old breast cancer survivor from her teens and the book briefly delves into the mastectomy and nipple reconstruction with tattoos etc. A nice side from the usually "perfect" characters that these books portray.
The storyline/romance itself was pretty typical and formulaic (The "pretend fiancee to secure the business deal" troupe) and although a large part of this book seemed to be about setting up the other two books in the series it was an easy enough read.
A promising read with a female lead that I didn't hate (wow!) from a debut author.
The storyline/romance itself was pretty typical and formulaic (The "pretend fiancee to secure the business deal" troupe) and although a large part of this book seemed to be about setting up the other two books in the series it was an easy enough read.
A promising read with a female lead that I didn't hate (wow!) from a debut author.
January 26, 2020
A fabulous book. From start to finish I was hooked. Emma’s back story had me from the word go, I felt it deep within me, an emotional hold that I couldn’t shake, and as for Antonio, saa-woooooon! He was so powerful, his dominance creeping off the pages and making you feel the power of it and then Emma comes along and hacks at his trusty defences. I loved the history they shared before the tale even got off the ground and after that I was just sold....invested, in love, the works. The perfect M&B! Loved it!
August 10, 2018
The First book in the series is just the spectacular!!
Pippa Roscoe has shown the beautiful journey of Antonio towards finding the love at most common yet unnoticed person, the bond between Antonio and Emma, the budding love, circumstances, their desires for each other, the show of undying friendship of Antonio & his friends, Emma's light to light up Antonio's World! Everything is just speechless.
One must read this hot yet relate able love story!
Pippa Roscoe has shown the beautiful journey of Antonio towards finding the love at most common yet unnoticed person, the bond between Antonio and Emma, the budding love, circumstances, their desires for each other, the show of undying friendship of Antonio & his friends, Emma's light to light up Antonio's World! Everything is just speechless.
One must read this hot yet relate able love story!
August 22, 2018
"A Ring to Take His Revenge (The Winners' Circle)" by Pippa Roscoe is a triology. This is Antonio and Emma's story. She is a cancer survivor who is strong, courageous, and looks past her gorgeous boss. He is a billionaire who needs a fiance fast because of revenge. Their chemistry isn't instant, but their connection is sizzling. So much more to the story. It was a good read and a solid 4.5 stars.
September 10, 2018
A sensational revenge plot story and part of a trilogy, A Ring to Take His Revenge is a fast paced and captivating reading full of emotion and decadent locations. A fake engagement of an unlikely match but Antonio and Emma are so, so suited. A Ring to Take His Revenge is 100% escapism and hits the nail on every head of this type of genre! An absolute magic story which I was sorry to finish. I would actually give more than 5 stars and give it 6 shiny stars. Loved it!
September 30, 2018
First in a series called the Winner's Circle about 3 male friends and finding the right woman for them. This one unusual due to it's real issue of the heroine's survival of breast cancer in her late teens and living with breast reconstruction and to have living lists of experiences she still wants to enjoy. Not too bad a romance either!
August 16, 2018
Loved this passionate romance between Antonio who is out for revenge against his father and Emma who is fighting to take control of her life back, with a few twist and turns that had me turning the pages this was very well written and a wonderful read.
September 18, 2018
Enjoyed the tycoon meeting his match, will be looking for the other two in the trilogy now!
April 2, 2019
Enjoyable read. Looking forward to the other two books in the series
March 5, 2023
I can see why Roscoe has a fan following as she once again delivers a heroine with a not often talked about condition that is a big part of her journey. In this book, the heroine is a teenage cancer survivor who opted not to have reconstructive surgery for her nipples after having cancer removed from her breasts so she grapples with owning and embracing her femininity throughout this book. I find it a tad unbelievable and slightly lazy plot development that the hero is able to “guess and then just know” what happened to our heroine from a few very loose context clues.
Overall this was a good fake dating, boss/employee book from Harlequin.
Overall this was a good fake dating, boss/employee book from Harlequin.
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