A Hard-Hearted Hero

by Pamela Burford

When Elizabeth Lancaster is kidnapped from a nature commune, she’s terrified for her life. She hadn’t expected her cover to be blown so quickly. But who is this huge, rock-solid guy who spirits her away to a secluded estate in the mountains? When she discovers the identity of her abductor, one thought burns through her outrage and frustration: What is the commando going to do to me?

Caleb Trent’s special-forces training didn’t prepare him for life with his beautiful captive. She’s more resourceful than he anticipated, always managing to stay one step ahead of him, and far too alluring for his peace of mind. Still, he’s determined not to let down his guard. She might be a lying conniver, but he’s duty-bound to see this mission through to the end.

Going Commando was a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards and winner of the Heart of the West National Writing Contest! Originally published as A Hard-hearted Hero.

Genres: Harlequin, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Romance, Category Romance, Enemies To Lovers

217 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published June 1, 1997

About the author

Pamela Burford comes from a funny family. You may take that any way you want. She was raised in a household that valued laughter above all, so of course the first thing she looked for in a husband was a sense of humor. Is it any wonder their grown kids are into stand-up comedy and improv? Oh, and here's another fun family fact: Pamela's identical twin sister, Patricia Ryan, aka P.B. Ryan, is also a published novelist. Patricia is the Good Twin, and yeah, Pamela knows what that makes her. But hey, Evil Twins have more fun.

It should come as no surprise that everything Pamela writes is infused with her own quirky brand of humor, from her feel-good contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels to her popular Jane Delaney mystery series, featuring snarky “Death Diva” Jane, her canine sidekick Sexy Beast, and a fun love triangle. Pamela's own beloved poodle, Murray, wants you to know that any similarities between himself and neurotic, high-strung Sexy Beast are purely coincidental.

Pamela is the proud founder and past president of Long Island Romance Writers. Her books have won awards and sold millions of copies, but what excites her most is hearing from readers. So swing by her website and say hi. And while you're there, don't forget to sign up for her newsletter. Not only will you learn about new releases and other fun stuff, but you'll receive a free ebook as her special thank-you.

Reviews

[StMargarets · Rating 4 out of 5]

H/h meet when former special ops hero "rescues" her from a cult and deprograms her at his family estate in upstate New York. Hero is fulfilling a promise to his brother who committed suicide while he was in the same cult. The hero is convinced he died because heroine strung him along for years and then rejected him.

Heroine thinks the brother was murdered by the cult and has infiltrated it in order to find clues. This sluething was interrupted when the hero kidnapped her.

Why yes, this is a whacky plot.

What I enjoyed was how the heroine fought back (while still being attracted to the hero). And how the hero tried to be consistently cruel, but just couldn't do it.

The H/h do eventually join forces to take the cult down, but the story doesn't end there. Heroine has to be sure she does't have Stockholm syndrome - so she goes back to her life in NYC (as an actress) and hero has to wait it out.

Just a fun story if you can suspend your disbelief.

[KatieV · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 'WTF HP rec' and the first half definitely had some banner wtf moments. He kidnapped her from a hippie commune to deprogram her, something she didn't need. He terrified and humiliated her in the process and I wanted to scratch the H's eyes out for his arrogance and callousness. The heroine held her own though. I really liked her. She was strong, smart, and resourceful without being some super-powered Mary Sue. She knew when she was at a disadvantage and instead of stomping her feet and pitting herself head-on against a huge Special Forces guy - she used her wits, played it cool, pretended to play along, and waited for an opening. She did lose her head spectacularly once, but it was totally justified. She should have dropped the brick on this head.

I started to like Caleb in the last half and it really wasn't WTF at all. Something I was torn about since I love a good trainwreck, however, the way the author wrote it was much more conducive to a believable HEA. Caleb realized he'd misjudged the h and his attitude vastly improved as he fell in love with Elizabeth. The heroine, however, was torn. She was educated/aware enough to know her feelings could be Stockholm Syndrome. She knew she needed space to figure things out. He knew it too, but still tried to talk her out of leaving him.

Just a side note - but I'm fairly sure the author has migraines or knows someone who does. The description she gave of the heroine's episode was painful for me to read (literally). Especially since the h's migraines occurred on the left side of her head, which is where mine are. I ended up with a migraine last night and went to bed with an ice pack on my head. I honestly think her description triggered it. So... kudos for realism???

[Jacqueline J · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sample suckered me in. It was really interesting and good. The story lost steam pretty quickly though. It seemed to meander rather a lot for what was supposed to be a romantic suspense. Also characterizations were weak and the hero was a bit of a sap.

[Saly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book didn't work for me at all. Why? First of I am not a masochist and I do not enjoy reading a book where the hero treats the heroine like shit. He kidnaps her and keeps her captive, why? Well he thinks she is the woman who broke his little bro's heart and led to his suicide and as he promised, he will deprogram her 'coz she joined a cult. I found his treatment of her demeaning and I couldn't believe that the heroine didn't leave him when she could and instead had sex with him. Eeew! I did like that she left him at the end 'coz she was thinking what I was thinking Stockholm Syndrome alert!!!

I expected to like this book because I have liked books by this author before but this one just kept pushing my buttons.

[Cem73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Titre vf : Mon ennemi, mon amour

[Glenda Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the story but there was more sex and foul language than I'm comfortable with.

[Carola Kirspuu · Rating 5 out of 5]

EST/ENG

Fantastiline raamat. Loo keskmeks on romantika, millele on juurde antud ka vürtsikust ning lisatud ka veel põnevust ja krimi. See on teist korda, mil raamatut loen. Mäletan, et nautisin eelmisel korral seda raamatut. Kuid nüüd uuesti lugedes, olen lihtsalt vaimustuses. Ei suutnud raamatut enne käest panna, kui lugu otsa sai.
Sisust siis niipalju, et Elizabeth rööviti oma toast ning röövijaks oli tema enesetapu teinud sõbra Danieli vend. Mees röövis naise, kuna tema vend palus naise eest hoolitseda, kui temaga midagi juhtub. Niisiis Danieli vend Kaleb arvas, et naine oli ohus ning röövis ta. Ta arvas, et naine oli viinud ta venna enesetapuni ning vihkas seda naist selle eest. Naise röövimine oli tema jaoks ka nagu väike kättemaks naisele. Kuid kogu selle aja vältel mis nad naisega koos aega veetsid, muutus Kaleb naise suhtes leebemaks ning avastas et asjad ei olnudki nii nagu tema väikevend oli talle olukordade kulgemisest rääkinud. Daniel oli Elizabethi armunud, kuid naine polnud tema tunnetele vastanud. Esialgu Kaleb ei uskunud naist, kuid kuna ta üritas naist puuonnis enda omaks teha, mõistis ta et naine ei valetanud. Lõpuks kuna Kaleb sai aru, et nad mõlemad hoolisid väga üksteisest, lubas ta naisel lahkuda. Kuna naine läks tegema ohtlikku asja, otsustas mees teda aidata ning nad võtsid vahele mehe, kes tegeles valerahade trükkimisega ja kuna Daniel oli sellest teada saanud, oli tapnud nii Davidi, kui ka ühe teise tüdruku. Kaleb sai viga ning Elizabeth hoolitses mehe eest nii kaua, kuni too terveks sai ning naine lahkus mehe juurest. Ta kartis, et on mehesse armunud ainult seetõttu, et tal ei jäänud selles olukorras muud üle. Ta vältis Kalebit kolm kuud, kuni mees tuli teda otsima. Kaleb ostis neile linnas maja, et naine saaks oma karjääri jätkata. Ta otsis naise üles, kes tunnistas lõpuks, et tõepoolest hoolib mehest.



A fantastic book. The heart of the story is romance, to which some spice has been added, as well as suspense and crime. I read this book for the second time. I remember enjoying this book last time. But now reading it again, I'm just fascinated. I couldn't put the book down until I had read it through.
Plot: main character Elizabeth was kidnapped from her home, and the abductor was the brother of her friend Daniel, who committed suicide. The man kidnapped the woman because his brother asked him to take care of her if something happened to him. So Daniel's brother Caleb thought she was in danger and kidnapped her. He thought that Elizabeth had led his brother to commit suicide, and he hated her for it. Kidnapping her was also like a small revenge for her. However, during all this time, the time he spent with her, Caleb became gentler towards her and discovered that things were not as his little brother had told him about the course of the situation. Daniel was in love with Elizabeth, but she had not matched his feelings. At first, Caleb didn't believe the woman, but as he tried to make her his own in the treehouse, he realized that she wasn't lying. Finally, as Caleb realized that they both cared deeply for eachother, he allowed her to leave. Since she was going to do something dangerous, he decided to help her and they intercepted a man who was printing fake money and because Daniel had found out about it, he had killed both David and another girl. Caleb was injured and Elizabeth took care of him until he recovered and then she left. She was afraid that she had fallen in love with Caleb only because she had no choice in this situation. She avoided Caleb for three months until he came looking for her. Caleb bought them a house in the city so that Elizabeth could continue her career. He found Elizabeth, who admitted that she truly loved Caleb.

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going Commando is steamy, fun and tense. I fell in love with both characters who were quite believable.

[RiverShore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going Commando by Pamela Burford

When Elizabeth Lancaster, aspiring actress, goes undercover at a mysterious commune to find out the truth about her late friend’s supposed suicide, the last thing she expects is to be kidnapped by her friend’s brother. How can she convince him that she is not the enemy, nor is she in need of “deprogramming” (thank you very much)?

This is one of the most aggravating missions Caleb Trent has ever been on. In an effort to relieve his guilt for not having spent time with his younger brother, Caleb promises to take care of the girl who cruelly broke his brother’s heart resulting in his suicide. The girl is beautiful and, he is certain, as duplicitous as they come. But he made his brother a vow, and he is honor bound to keep it.

What I enjoyed most about this story was Elizabeth’s strength of character in the face of incredible odds. She was true to herself which eventually helped Caleb to open his heart and mind to the truth about his brother. The turmoil in Caleb’s mind regarding this woman whom he is convinced is a manipulating liar makes the story believable and ultimately leads him to the truth.

This is a great story with a fast pace, which grabs you from the start. If you enjoy romantic suspense, you will love this book!

I was provided with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in return for my honest review.

[Nicole Normand · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book discounted on Amazon via Bookbub; this is my honest review.
-First off, I don't like people who have to feed their honor by putting themselves in danger since they know zilch about "going commando". It's like an amateur sleuth - same idea.
-I thought the whole kidnapping was funny, only because I thought they were playing war.
-What is Rambo thinking by deprogramming Elizabeth? He only knows what he believes as truth, whatever his baby brother told him. He regrets not following his instincts several times. At war, he'd be dead. He should know better. Caleb never listened to Elizabeth's side of the story.
-A bit disbelieving all throughout the book. Your first time with a man among sports equipment? Deprogramming? Almost instant (real) love with your captor? You have the car and you're not running away? etc. etc.
-I applaud Elizabeth for her ingenuity, her mental force, her sense of survival. I liked Caleb's body, but nothing else.
-Editing: something was definitely wrong at how the sentences were made or choices of words; I couldn't tell which.

[Gale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going Commando was a great story, although on a certain level, the basic premise of the story is scary…scary in that it could happen anytime, anywhere, any place. Elizabeth is undercover in a cult. I won’t get into details as there are so many that are important to the story. Immediately on page one, she is abducted from the cult by Caleb. Again, no spoilers. He sets out to deprogram her, from the cult programming, however as she was undercover, she wasn’t truly a member. There is intrigue and a very rocky road for these two to navigate. Both have major things in their pasts, and a commonality in Caleb’s brother David, that stays between them thru most of the book. The author really got into the details and for me, Caleb was not the typical hero. His actions bothered me on a gut level – something I don’t usually experience in my leisure reading. Well-written, fast-moving, just a bit heavier than I normally read.

[Savsandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Going Commando” is much more than your average romance. It’s also a suspense/psychological thriller with a dash of humor to round out the complex characters. Former special forces Caleb Trent is determined to fulfill his dead brother’s last wishes: Take care of and protect Elizabeth Lancaster, the woman to whom he’d professed his undying love, even though it’d never been reciprocated. Friends? Yes. Lovers? No. Caleb forcefully removes Elizabeth from a commune, intending to “de-program her, thus “saving” her from her own poor choices. But Elizabeth was not a cult member in need of de-programming. She was at the nature commune undercover, trying to find out what really happened to Caleb’s brother. The how and why of it makes up the plot and does all the heavy lifting. No formula-driven story here. This is writing with originality and I’ve added it to Burford’s growing stack of thoroughly enjoyable work.

[Live2Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I adored the heroine for her refreshing outlook & smartness, I didn’t like the kidnap scene. It felt like a scene straight for a horror movie. How he easily & casually kidnapped her right from her workplace felt too close to reality. And the victim feels fear & confusion. Yikes! Hero was good that the heroine developed Stockholm syndrome or else his butt would be in so much trouble for a man of his standing. Double yikes! Also, the writing wasn’t the best. I thought the author had some short incomplete sentences that made me read them. Like this. And it hurts my. Head so much. Occasionally the author will also write what she envisioned, instead of writing to help us envision her envision. Lol. Other than that the book reads alright I guess.

[BobaFett114 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and a lot of twists!

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It's not my usual cup of tea, but it sounded intriguing. I read a few of the reviews and I was surprised by the negative ones. Yes, Caleb snatched her and it's wrong. I don't feel like he ever really wanted to hurt her. Besides, she was at that commune and she wasn't being smart. There is a scene where things get a little out of hand and it seems like he might rape her. Yes, that was intense and wrong, but she didn't want him to stop and was upset that he had, so not rape. The end is a little drawn out, but good.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up as a freebie because I really enjoy this author’s mystery series. While I can enjoy a steamy romance as much as the next girl, this one missed the mark on every level. The very premise of falling in love with one’s kidnapper is bad enough. But this book also really lacked in any type of believable loving exchanges between the main (only) characters to help the reader get over the beginning. All we get is being told that two weeks went by where she gave up on trying to escape and instead began to enjoy his company while they shared meals and played scrabble. Even the sex scenes were bad. This author can do better.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kidnapping, revenge and romance a fast paced read holds your attention to the end!

This is the first book I have read from this author and I guarantee it won't be the last! Going Commando is fast paced with a strong woman protagonist who gets kidnapped for revenge. She always manages to stay one step ahead of her kidnapper who considers her an enigma. Planning her rescue and escape takes precedence for most of the book and the twists and turns take you through a fast paced novel with mystery, revenge and romance. I was given a copy of this book by the author for a fair and honest review.

[Christine Woinich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starts fast and keeps you going. Caleb kidnaps Elizabeth to deprogram her as a promise to brother. He gets more than he bargained for. Emotions run high until the truth comes out. Now Caleb has to keep Elizabeth alive long enough to prove his brother's death was not a suicide. Elizabeth is unsure if her feelings for Caleb are because of their close quarters or if she has found the one for her. The trust between the two takes a while to build until the end, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Lancaste was undercover in a nature communion then she was kidnapped what was up with that right but this big sexy hunky commando is trying to keep her for some reason she does not know. Caleb Trent’s kidnapped Elizabeth as a promise to his brother so he does and it is not what he expected she is a tough and crafty women and he is falling for her I got this free for an honest review and it was awesome loved this book and the characters were great and funny too Pamel Burford is a awesome writer keep up the good work. Michelle

[Goth Gone Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stockholm sexytime

This book is a little bit of a twist on the "strong ex-military man saves helpless virgin" premise that's so popular in romances these days. Some aspects still left me with a bit of a raised eyebrow in doubt, but I'm going to behave and avoid spoilers here.

If you can embrace the idea of wanting your kidnapper even after you're set free, the writing is sound enough to make the story believable, even enjoyable. She's clever, not passive, which adds to the fun.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Page-turner is Not Your Typical Romance

One of the most complex novella’s I’ve ever read. These pages are packed with suspense, drama, angst, and of course romance. I especially liked that the author wasn’t afraid to tackle hard subjects like Stockholm Syndrome, or the fact that sometimes loved ones who’ve passed on weren’t always truthful. This was a real page-turner that had me captured from the very beginning. Read it, you won’t be sorry.

[Stephanie Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing, funny and exciting read! No formulaic story line in sight - you are kept on the edge of your seat with excitement, with a female lead stronger than Rambo (her character at least even if her muscles aren't quite that overwhelming). Intriguing and humorous, with sweet and steamy romance - yet another winner... Not been disappointed yet!!
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving an honest and independent review.

[J.V. Speyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute interactions

The interactions were really cute, and I enjoyed this. I was rooting for Elizabeth. I had a hard time getting over the initial premise of the book - some things are unforgivable and Caleb crosses a line. That said, it'a a fun read and not everyone will be bothered by that. (I'd elaborate but spoilers. Also I wonder if it would bother me in m/m romance? Food for thought)

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing story from an author I usually enjoy. I am really struggling with how to rate this one. The writing was decent. The suspense wasn't bad. The thematic tropes were nauseating.

Alpha male. Special Forces. Hot man who wants to "mark," "claim," "brand" beautiful virgin woman to "make her his own." Domination (albeit through kidnapping).

I wouldn't read this book again and will struggle to read anything else this author writes following this foray into the formulaic.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rambo

Kidnapped and held hostage, Elizabeth is forced to go through deprogramming from a cult. Only Elizabeth doesn't need to be deprogrammed,. She joined to find out what happened to her friend David. It's David's brother who kidnapped her. Now Caleb wants to convince her that he believes she didn't cause David's death and together they find the real killers. A fast paced romance.

[Ruby McDemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story! Two people wanting to honor their last promise to someone is such an amazing thing. They may have both been lied to at points by David, but they are still wanting to do as he asked. If that doesn't show true loyalty then I don't know what does. The juicy sweet unexpected romance for the 2 just puts the icing on the cake. Such a wonderful story and amazing plot-line.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Elizabeth, she's brave, her dedication to her friends is commendable, she is smart, very resourceful and challenging despite her predicament. Caleb is a rough, tough and very determined & dedicated character. To me, his actions as well as the cult elements makes this more of a dark romance that is suspenseful with some intense moments.

[Jo-Ann Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read any of the other Rebels and Rogues series. This is my first book, as I thought it would be a good book because of it being an award finalist and was stand alone. Only to find out, when I looked it up on here, that it was part of a series. This is one of my pet hates.

However, it was and ok read and did keep moving along.

[Vikki Bulmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

First book I've read by this author. The story got stuck in straightaway and did leave me a little unsure of what was happening and where it was going and also that I had missed something I stuck with it and glad I did because all was explained and I really liked what I read. The story was gripping enough with interesting characters.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young virtuous woman that has caught the eye of the communes leader for her untouched self. This is the last thing she needs. Her friends untimely death is what got her into this, then she is kidnapped by a Rambo man. Watch the errors and caring that unravel in this sweet endearing tale.

[Elda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not what I expected. I would have liked it better if it was a good clean romance. I don't think masochistic relationships turn into true love. I wish these types of books would say something about it in the blurb. I would not normally have downloaded this.