Terms of Their Costa Rican Temptation

The Diamond Inheritance #1

by Pippa Roscoe

Let Pippa Roscoe sweep you away to Costa Rica in this deliciously intense marriage bargain romance…

A deal forged in paradise
A connection built to last?

Skye Soames’s search for her family’s long-lost diamonds leads her to Benoit Chalendar’s mansion in the Costa Rican rain forest. The billionaire offers to help her find the diamonds—if she agrees to marry him! To remain CEO of his company, he must look like he’s settling down.

For Benoit, watching prim and proper Skye discover her adventurous side among the wildlife and waterfalls is an unexpected thrill. It only fans the flames of their potent attraction. But can their pact survive the test when they return to reality?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents

216 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 17, 2021

About the author

Pippa 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.

Reviews

[Aou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've liked adventure part in Costa Rican forest.

[Susan in Perthshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so slow to get going. I know the author was setting up a three-book series but I kept thinking when do we get to Costa Rica and when do we meet the hero?

The endless coverage of the funeral, the visit to the house, the loathsome solicitor, the will, the challenge they faced, the deadline, the backstory for the three girls and their mother - this section seemed to go on forever and I was swiftly losing my patience - and the will to live!!

However, once we got to Costa Rica, the story lifted off and I really enjoyed it. Benoit was an interesting guy with a strong and realistic reason for needing to marry and Skye was a strong and driven heroine who was prepared to make the sacrifice in the hope of helping her mother. I thought her reasons for not telling Benoit about her mother's cancer were strange and lacked credibility.

Other than that, I enjoyed most of this story but I would have liked an Epilogue that was less 'telling' and more 'showing.' It just seemed to be endless 'he did, she did'. I would have liked more real emotion and for it to be demonstrable not reported.

[Dottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skye and her sisters are called to read the will after their grandfather's death where they find that they could inherit their grandfather's estate. I say "could "because there are terms to do that. A hundred years ago someone hid the Soames diamonds and they have not been found to date. A stipulation of the will is they have to go find them or the estate won't be theirs ,and they need the money for their mother's medical care. After talking it over it is decided that Skye is to go find the diamonds and to do that she has to meet up with Benoit Chalendar. Benoit a billionaire offers to help her but he wants something in return. The most important thing to him is to stay as CEO of his company, no reason he shouldn't except they feel he needs to show that he is ready to settle down and take the business seriously. Now we have Skye who needs to find the hidden diamonds, and Benoit who wants to stay as Ceo, what to do? Join forces and make everyone believe the two are in love. What an enjoyable story following them from one beautiful place to another and on the way finding themselves in love. Do they find the diamonds? Not telling ,read this wonderful book and find out. Ms. Roscoe has me anxiously awaiting for more about the other sisters.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major Plot spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk

ONCE AGAIN MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD, THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING


This was truly a very different Harlequin Presents than I have ever read before. Even though Harlequin Presents categorizes itself as an epic, exotic journey and adventure for both hero and heroine as they fall in love, this one truly felt like an epic romantic adventure. The difference with this one vs other Presents was how it was structured and setup.

It began with Skye and her sister’s looking for her family’s diamonds after their grandfather demanded that they find them in order to get their inheritance. They weren’t close with their grandfather at all and only agreed to go on this little quest due to they needed money in order to pay for their mother’s cancer treatments. They were at the estate library and found clues along the way to help them find the possible locations of these diamonds. There were coded messages and secret rooms and alluded hidden passageways. It was pretty neat to see it play out and immediately made me invested as I was trying to figure out the mystery along with the girls. It just felt like it was going to be an interesting adventure and that was before the romance presented itself.

The romance came about due to the girls figuring out that Benoit’s ancestor had something to do with this secret that was revealed in the coded message. So, Skye went down to Costa Rica to meet Benoit in order to get a piece of a map that they needed in order to find the jewels. They had a very interesting first meeting because she stole away in his car after he refused to see her and was planning to go his vacation in the remote rain forest to his vacation house. It started off with a bang as an accident ensued after she popped up in his car. It was serious yet very funny at the same time. It caused them to be stranded together because the car was totaled. So, they had to go through the lush rainforest together in order to get to his house. Fun times ensued as they depended on each other for survival. They took each other while on this trek. They did some talking along the way. Things were revealed. It was very exotic and romantic as it was only the two of them. They had some sweet moments. They had some heated moments as they carried on. Finally they got to the house things ensued from there in a more typical Presents fashion with blackmail into marriage trope and stranded together trope. Did like the waterfall scene though.

I did feel like after Skye and Benoit got to his house that I became less interested in the romance and more interested in the map and possible further clues. I was anticipating more answers coming forth (though I knew intellectually it probably won’t since there is two more book in this series), and I was hoping that Skye and Benoit would work together and uncover clues along the way as they figured this mystery out. That was more what I was hoping the focus was with the backdrop of them falling in love with each other. I just wanted to see both journeys coincide with one another. I was little disappointed with how the romance turned out near the end. I wanted that fresh take that I got from the beginning that made me very interested and intrigued.

Overall I did enjoy the story. I enjoyed the whole treasure hunting/adventure storyline more than the romance. Once the romance got to that point when they were at the house, it no longer felt unique or special like it did in the beginning half of the book. I wanted feel that uniqueness all the way through. I wanted to see them gradually fall in love with each other as the hunted for these diamonds together. I wished the blackmail into marriage for the map wasn’t in here. I wished they wouldn’t make love until they got married or the ending because it just felt weird were was within the context of the story. I got they had attraction to each other, but it just didn’t feel as natural progression as I would have hoped. It was just missing that compelling factor where it would have made for a more satisfying romance for me. I just thought the treasure hunting was more compelling than the romance.

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Contemporary Romance, Romance
Miniseries
The Diamond Inheritance (Book #1)

[Paula Brandon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skye Soames are her sisters are about to receive a great inheritance...but a stipulation in their grandfather's will is that they must locate some hidden jewels in two months or they get nothing. They find some diaries and a code that leads them to the Chalendar family, who are in possession of a map that can take them to the jewels. Skye flies to Costa Rica to meet Benoit Chalendar before he goes "off-grid". Desperate, she climbs into his car. He takes off, they crash in the jungle, and must trek to his secluded home. When Benoit learns what Skye is after, he demands that she marry him so that he can keep his CEO position, at which point she can get the map. Skye is desperate for the inheritance to help her mother, who has cancer, but isn't sure she likes this arrangement. Plus, the longer she spends with Benoit, the stronger her feelings for him become.

This book was all over the place, and it felt slow and stilted. There is a lot of plot set-up with the inheritance and the diamonds (our hero doesn't show up until 35 pages in), and the relationship between Skye and Benoit is too slow-burn and drawn out for an insta-love story. Their first kiss isn't until 168 pages in, and the book is 253 pages all up. This needed more intensity much sooner.

I personally think that Mills & Boon/Harlequin need to stop relying so much on the marriage-of-convenience trope. The world has changed a lot and this simply isn't a believable scenario anymore. Sometimes these books can make it work, but a lot of the time it is very forced and contrived, as is the case here. Benoit must marry before he is 32 or he is no longer the CEO of his company. Workplace laws just don't work that way anymore! Benoit has a strong case for discrimination. Any lawyer worth their salt would make mincemeat of this contract stipulation! In fact, a lot of what happens here could be overcome with a lawyer visit (the sisters really should have just contested the terms of the will, and taken Benoit to court to get the map), but I guess we wouldn't have a romance book, would we? However, when I'm asking myself these questions, I do wonder why the author hasn't. I'm also bothered by the continued inference from this line that someone can only be considered respectable if they're married. For a publisher so bound by the tradition of marriage, Mills & Boon sure do make a mockery of it!

The characters are also all over the place. For the first half, Skye absolutely did my head in. She sneaks into someone's car and causes it to crash, but when Benoit tries to help her, accuses him of possibly being a pervert or axe murderer. Once he finally gets her to the safe haven of his home, all she can do is complain about her situation and circumstances when she is solely the one who got herself there in the first place. Benoit seemed strong and kind and I didn't understand why he was putting up with her. Skye's arc is to basically stop being a people-pleaser. For example, being a vegetarian because other family members are and it's easier that say. But it just makes her look dumb - she can't sneak a ham sandwich while at work? Where's her spine?

However, their roles seem to reverse as the book progresses, with Skye becoming far more rational, and Benoit turning into a mealy-mouthed man-baby. Skye's reasons for not telling Benoit about her mother's cancer don't make any sense, nor does Benoit's constant flip-flopping over whether he actually seems to want this marriage of convenience. The whole marriage of convenience thing renders the hunt for the jewels moot because Skye now has a billionaire husband who can pay for her mother's treatment.

The lack of romantic intensity for the majority of the book (they needed to be knocking boots or at least kissing a lot sooner) detracted from the credibility of the insta-love between the hero and heroine. Their declarations of love towards each other for the happy-ever-after are touching, but don't feel fully earned. They seemed still far too damaged from their childhood abandonment issues and I wasn't convinced they could move past them despite the epilogue telling me so.

I liked parts of the story, but the plot is clunky, and the hero and heroine's actions and motivations are quite inconsistent.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one so much, the adventure, the search for a long lost family treasure which brings Skye Soames and Benoit Chalendar together in a moving, sensual, sizzling story with such a beautiful setting the Costa Rican jungle and then France, this is a page turner, I hope you pick up a copy and enjoy it as much as I did.

When Skye and her sisters Summer and Star are called to the reading of their grandfather’s will, they are stunned to learn of a family secret going back one hundred and fifty years and to be able to accept their inheritance they need to discover the lost Soames family jewels. Skye finds herself crawling into a car belong to Benoit Chalendar, which starts a journey through the jungle and it is not only the heat from the jungle that is setting Skye’s blood warming up but the very handsome Benoit, but can she trust him to help her discover what she needs.

Benoit takes a break once a year to his jungle retreat here there are no phones, internet or anything that will disturb him, he has a lot on his mind at the moment, with an ultimatum that has been set by the directors of the family company he is CEO of. The last thing he expects is to discover a stowaway in his car, a very beautiful stowaway and when she opens up about what she needs from him, he agrees to help if she agrees to help him with his needs.

Pippa Roscoe has written a fabulous romance with all of the feels that had me turning the pages a gorgeous, strong hero, who finally comes to terms with some things from his past and heroine who has always been there for everyone else, she is caring and really shows how strong she can be, and they fit together so well. This one is beautifully written and the start of a series, The Diamond Inheritance series and I can’t wait to read more. I do highly recommend this book it is sure to leave any reader smiling.

My thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.

[Kiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terms of their Costa Rican Temptation, Book 1 of The Diamond Inheritance series, was about Skye Soames and Benoit Chalendar.
Skye and her two half-sisters, Summer and Star, were summoned by the attorney of their late grandfather. They were to attend his funeral and stay for the reading of the will. When the lawyer read the contents of said will, they learned that he had left them his entire estate...with conditions. First, they must search for and find their family’s long-lost diamonds that had been lost for generations. They were given two months to find them or they would lose the estate to The National Trust. Also, at least one of them must reside in the mansion for the entire two months.
The first clue to finding the diamonds led Skye to Costa Rica and the home of Benoit Chalendar who, after talking with her about it, made a deal with her. Benoit, the CEO of his family's company, was given until his 32nd birthday to marry or lose his position to his brother, Xander. After having been betrayed by his brother, Benoit was determined to never let him have the company. So the deal with Skye was that, if he helped her locate the diamonds, she would marry him in order to save him from losing his position.
There was so much angst, drama, and pain in this story it hurt to read it. The twists and turns, though minimum, were enough to hold the interest of the reader, but the emotions were almost too much to bear. There was very little humor to ease the tension created by all the negative emotions, and hardly any positive emotions to bring the reader out of the dark to enjoy the HEA.
The spirit of adventure which was greatly hinted at didn't last long. Since this was supposed to be a search for hidden jewels, it was amazing how little they had to do with the story itself, even with all of the references to them. It was more about the pain of childhood and how it affected the characters as adults. It had so much potential, but it was such a letdown.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terms of Their Costa Rican Temptation features and English heroine, Skye who is searching for some family jewels in order to retain the estate of her recently deceased grandfather. The jewels were hidden over a hundred years ago by a female relative. In a letter, the ancestor directs her female descendents to find the map which she entrusted to her French lover for safekeeping. Enter Benoit, the great great great grandson of French lover. Skye follows Benoit to Costa Rica and they spend a few days together with Skye eventually agreeing to marry Benoit for the map. Benoit needs to get married to retain his position as CEO.

There was something a bit different about this book. It almost didn't read like a HP. It had a little more backstory than I'm used to, which is not a bad thing. At the same time, the pacing of the book felt off. The books spends some time in England, Costa Rica and France. The beginning of the book took time to launch the story and was less interesting. It definitely sounds like the other two sisters will get a story to continue the search for the jewels. (I don't like how Skye just shrugs off the jewel search towards the end. #standbyyourman?)

My biggest pet peeve about this book was Skye. Her behavior/thinking is TSTL at times. She is indecisive, a little rude/stupid, and weirdly clingy to her family of grown ass adults. For example, she went to CR to ask Benoit for the map but she doesn't actually ask about the map for awhile. It's like she forgot why she was there in the first place. She was also willing to leave without the map! [insert forehead smack] She also caused Benoit to crash his car and stole his motorcycle and didn't sweat it. Rude. Let's just say, I would never send Skye on a mission of importance because she's flaky.

[Joan Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

. Sky Soames is searching for her family’s lost diamonds to find her mother’s cancer treatment. This hunt leads her to billionaire Benoit Chalendar’s mansion in the Costa Rican rainforests as his Aunt holds the map which will lead to the diamonds. He agrees to help her find the diamonds if she agrees to marry him as to remain the CEO of F his company he needs to get married within two weeks before he is 32 to look as though he is setting down.
It is interesting to see Skye blossom in the rainforest and become less uptight. I enjoyed the descriptions of the rainforest as well. But can their attraction survive the return to reality?
This is the first of a trilogy following the stories of three girls. A lot of this novel seems to drag as the scene is being set for them all but as the reader I wish this had been cut down and more emphasis placed on Costa Rica itself. Skye is a strong character but again as the reader I wonder why she didn’t tell Benoit the real reason she needed the diamonds. Benoit is the traditional M&B hero, strong, in need of a wife etc. If you can make it past the first few chapters this is an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the others in the series.

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

[Fiona Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was offered a chance to read and review the third book in this mini series so I had to go back to my TBR and find the first two.
This is the first and the heroine is Skye who is the organiser of the three sisters. Each of the sisters have a different father who aren't around for various reasons but they dearly love their rather scatter alternative lifestyle mother.
Now their grandfather has died and set them a task. Find the long lost Soames Jewels within two months and they get to keep the estate. Otherwise it goes to the National Trust. The sisters need money for medical treatment for their mother, so finding the treasure could be a literal life saver.
Once they find the first clues, they know they have to find a map and a key and it is Skye's quest to find the map held by the French Challendar family. Unfortunately the man they want is in Costa Rica, about to go off grid for some me time.
Skye's adventure with Benoit Challendar is very much of the Romancing the Stone style of adventure set in the Costa Rican jungle and later in France.
I really enjoyed the interactions between the two and the forced proximity that allowed them to get to know each other. There is an epilogue that gives a couple of hints about the other sister's adventures and the result of the epilogue but it doesn't spoil the following books.

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an adventure! If you have a soft spot for Romancing the Stone you NEED to read this book 🥰I love the entire premise of the series as a whole- missing jewels and a treasure hunt, sign me up!

As for this one, book 1, you really feel for Skye from the outset. The big sister with the irresponsible (but lovable) mother always feeling like she doesn’t quite fit in and constantly on watch over her siblings to make sure they are okay and have everything they need. The adventure she finds herself on forces her to realise there is much more to life and that it’s high time she puts herself first, goes wild and has fun, all with the aid of the hunk Benoit.

And what a hero, he is! Sexy, aloof, troubled by family betrayals and pressures, on the face of it he has it all and it’s about to be ripped away from him...only what he risks losing is far greater than he ever imagined. I loved watching his walls come down in the face of Skye’s innocent yet feisty ways.

There were so many fabulous moments in this book but I won't spoil it for you by listing them here, just trust me, if you love a dollop of adventure with your romance, grab this one, you won't regret it.

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unexpected connection is sure to please! With the first book in her brand new The Diamond Inheritance series Pippa Roscoe gives us the background of the lost family jewels of the Soames family and starts the first journey the sisters partake in to claim their family heritage in TERMS OF THEIR COSTA RICAN TEMPTATION. I was intrigued throughout, and while the story lacked a little bit in relationship development, I enjoyed Sky and Benoit very much and look forward to continuing the family journey in the next sister's book.

Sky is caring and determined, so watching her put the effort in to find the jewels that will help her family out so much is really touching.

Benoit is charismatic when he wants to be, but Sky catches him just when he's escaping to get some me time, so he's not exactly thrilled to be interrupted.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of a royal feel to their romance and a journey to a lush destination as the back drop.

[Nas Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

TERMS OF THEIR COSTA RICAN TEMPTATION by author Pippa Roscoe is a March 2021 release by Harlequin Presents series.

Sky Soames hides away in billionaire Benoit Chalendar’s car just so she could talk to him. She is in search of hundreds of years old map to missing jewelry which she desperately needs. But would Benoit help her?

Benoit is in search of a bride as he has two weeks to get married. Otherwise, he would lose the position of CEO of his company. And then he has this brilliant idea to pose Sky as his wife. But was it brilliant? But what would actually happen when their chemistry actually ignites?

Read TERMS OF THEIR COSTA RICAN TEMPTATION to find out! Author Pippa Roscoe did a dazzling job of bringing Sky and Benoit together. Readers would stay hooked to the pages till the very end.

Highly recommended for all readers of romance.

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was intense. It is the 1st book in the series "The Diamond Inheritance" and I absolutely loved it. Skye Soames went on an adventure to find the missing diamonds that were hidden a hundred years ago. She set out to find the ancestor namesake of the person who holds the key to the information and finds herself dealing, and attracted to Benoit Chalendar. He agrees to help her as long as she marries him so that he wouldn't lose his company. They find a hot and steamy romance in the Costa Rican rainforest.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one out after listening to the author on a podcast episode of Categorically Romance featuring Harlequin Presents authors. A delightful romance drama with family secrets, maps to hidden diamonds, multiple locations (England, Costa Rica, France), and a couple who become better versions of themselves after being thrust together for mutual convenience, ultimately falling head over heels for each other. And, for whatever reason, I mentally cast the Rae Dawn Chong as a version of her character from Commando as Skye.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks like a good start of a series. Three sisters discover their estranged grandfather has left them his estate with a stipulation. Find the family diamonds lost 100+ years ago! First up is Skye who ends up connecting with Benoit Chalender, his family has a map the sisters need. He needs a wife to keep his CEO job so a deal is made! Wants starts as a deal ends up getting dicey!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Very cute.
It didn't FEEL insta-love-y but it was only three days until the "you love him!", so....
I liked skye, and it was very fantasy like, I could suspend my disbelief for this, though Benoit outside of the book is a walking red flag.
With love.

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Contemporary Romance, Romance
Miniseries
The Diamond Inheritance (Book #1)

[Julie Henke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Diamond Inheritance — Book One

Story of the Soames Diamonds and three sisters: Skye, Star, Summer

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A fun quick read

[Vonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Actually a 2.5-rating**

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the combination of suspense, intrigue and romance.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

[Karen Geurts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!.Loved the whole storyline and characters, last and present. Can't wait to read the other books in series!

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and well written book. I loved how romantic the temptation was and how things turned out.
Love the author's books.
Will read again and Highly recommend