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Παιχνίδι Χωρίς Κανόνες
Ο Τζακ Γουάιλντερ είχε τρεις χρυσούς κανόνες!
1. Μην μπλέκεις ποτέ τη δουλειά με τη διασκέδαση. Δυστυχώς, παρέβη αυτό τον κανόνα όταν γνώρισε τη Λόρα Πάρκερ. Όμως το γεγονός ότι δούλευε γι' αυτόν μπορούσε εύκολα να διορθωθεί.
2. Οι γυναίκες είναι για να τις αγαπάς και να τις παρατάς. Το παρατσούκλι "Ο Μεγάλος Εραστής" δεν του είχε δοθεί άδικα. Η Λόρα βρέθηκε χωρίς δουλειά, γιατί έκανε το λάθος να υποκύψει στη γοητεία του αφεντικού της.
3. Ποτέ μην υποτιμάς τον ανταγωνισμό. Η Λόρα ήταν αποφασισμένη να μη μείνει σαν μια ακόμα κατάκτηση ανάμεσα στις πολλές. Ζητούσε εκδίκηση!
Ο Τζακ Γουάιλντερ θα έπρεπε να προσθέσει έναν ακόμα κανόνα στη λίστα του -η οργή της παρατημένης γυναίκας δεν έχει ταίρι!
1. Μην μπλέκεις ποτέ τη δουλειά με τη διασκέδαση. Δυστυχώς, παρέβη αυτό τον κανόνα όταν γνώρισε τη Λόρα Πάρκερ. Όμως το γεγονός ότι δούλευε γι' αυτόν μπορούσε εύκολα να διορθωθεί.
2. Οι γυναίκες είναι για να τις αγαπάς και να τις παρατάς. Το παρατσούκλι "Ο Μεγάλος Εραστής" δεν του είχε δοθεί άδικα. Η Λόρα βρέθηκε χωρίς δουλειά, γιατί έκανε το λάθος να υποκύψει στη γοητεία του αφεντικού της.
3. Ποτέ μην υποτιμάς τον ανταγωνισμό. Η Λόρα ήταν αποφασισμένη να μη μείνει σαν μια ακόμα κατάκτηση ανάμεσα στις πολλές. Ζητούσε εκδίκηση!
Ο Τζακ Γουάιλντερ θα έπρεπε να προσθέσει έναν ακόμα κανόνα στη λίστα του -η οργή της παρατημένης γυναίκας δεν έχει ταίρι!
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1996
2 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Mary Lyons
127 books20 followersMary-Jo Wormell, whose nom de plume is Mary Lyons, was a popular British writer of over 40 romance novels for Mills & Boon from 1983 to 2001. She was also a Conservative Party parlimentary candidate.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 4, 2018
Oh, boy - this is a fun revenge-by-heroine tale. The talent agency owner "hero" is called Mr Loverman because he dates and discards many, many women. Heroine works for him and knows his cardinal rule that he will never date someone who works for him. When she was hired, she had a fiance and wasn't concerned about the boss's reputation. But her fiance jilted her while working abroad and over the years the heroine has developed a crush on the hero.
The story opens with the hero firing the heroine for having a weekend fling with him when they were on location in Tahiti. Yes, my jaw dropped along with the heroine's.
Hero takes no responsibility for his part in the affair - but he is willing to set the heroine up for a dead-end job with a voice-over company and then they can continue their affair with no strings attached, of course.
Heroine is beyond angry and the rest of the story is the heroine setting up a rival agency and doing everything she can to feel better and to make the hero feel worse.
I was with her every step of the way. Alas, she kept succumbing to the hero's kisses and the hero never bled out from the superficial wounds she inflicted. He was angry - but he wasn't hurt like the heroine was and I wanted him to *hurt.* (If I'm wrong on this, I don't want to be right.)
The H/h finally call a truce while they are babysitting their big name stars on location in the North of England. What began so spectacularly ended in a whimper.
I think the heroine could have gone on and on goading the hero, but the author ran out of page count. We're supposed to believe the hero changed but I didn't see it. This is a case of if the heroine is happy, then I'll begrudgingly accept the HEA.
If you like your heroines smart and full of justified rage - you'll love this one - especially if you imagine an alternate ending.
The story opens with the hero firing the heroine for having a weekend fling with him when they were on location in Tahiti. Yes, my jaw dropped along with the heroine's.
Hero takes no responsibility for his part in the affair - but he is willing to set the heroine up for a dead-end job with a voice-over company and then they can continue their affair with no strings attached, of course.
Heroine is beyond angry and the rest of the story is the heroine setting up a rival agency and doing everything she can to feel better and to make the hero feel worse.
I was with her every step of the way. Alas, she kept succumbing to the hero's kisses and the hero never bled out from the superficial wounds she inflicted. He was angry - but he wasn't hurt like the heroine was and I wanted him to *hurt.* (If I'm wrong on this, I don't want to be right.)
The H/h finally call a truce while they are babysitting their big name stars on location in the North of England. What began so spectacularly ended in a whimper.
I think the heroine could have gone on and on goading the hero, but the author ran out of page count. We're supposed to believe the hero changed but I didn't see it. This is a case of if the heroine is happy, then I'll begrudgingly accept the HEA.
If you like your heroines smart and full of justified rage - you'll love this one - especially if you imagine an alternate ending.
November 20, 2018
Re Mr. Loverman - Mary Lyons brings us a tale of theatrical rivalry when the theatrical agent H fires his assistant h immediately after a torrid weekend in Tahiti where he seduced her because he was bored.
It seems Mr. Loverman Pump and Dump H has a 'no working with staff he has slept with in a fit of ennui' rule for occasions such as this.
Our poor little h has no clue that her two years of unrequited love and a dirty weekend lurve club extravaganza are going to cause her to wind up jobless, reference-less and contemplating having to sell her nice flat cause she can't meet the mortgage. The h can't find another theatrical agent job and her sister won't hire her.
ML does the full stereotype here with a red-haired h, that is frequently berated as shrewish by the misogynistic, multiple and simultaneous lady buffet sampling H, after the hurt and furious h rejects the H's offer of being the overladen beast of burden for a has-been drunkard who owns a voice agency around the corner from the H's office.
The H gets all kinds of irate and starts the nasty h is 'a harlot tart' name calling, after telling the h all about the sudden New York City expansion of his agency and how he hired the voice agency owner's current beast of burden guy to go do Big and Great things for the H.
(But the H is sure h will be so grateful to know that she is so downmarket third class that she can easily just slip into the role of eternal handmaiden and run the drunk guy's business, with no acknowledgement, while making herself available for the H to pump and dump in between his regularly scheduled seductions of more popular, wealthy ladies and theatrical stars.
The hurt, bewildered H really can't understand why any poor little office type like the h isn't leaping for joy at just the thought of being an occasional afterthought when he needs a little stress relief or a nice back staircase quicky.)
The h is quite rightly livid over this announcement. After threatening the H with a wrongful termination suite and then kicking him out of her flat, the h decides to take up an offer to finance her own theatrical agency, made by the H's former partner who is now a big time property developer.
The H and the former partner broke their partnership after the H's young actress wife had an affair with the partner, so there is not much love lost there and the h is soon convinced that she has the contacts and the knowledge to make a success of an agency of her own.
There is more verbal spats with the H. Especially after the h hires his prior female assistant and uses the similar initials of the H's agency for her own agency name.
Unfortunately none of this really inflicts much damage on the H, in fact a few H roofie kisses here and there and the h ends up apologizing for her actions all the time - even when she manages to set up her own voice talent division and her actions don't directly influence the H.
The H meantime is all about flaunting his new assistant, who took over the h's job, and apparently he has no problems sleeping with her and keeping her in the office too, unlike his time with the h.
Things come to a big blow up when the h gets the H's actress ex wife on her books. The woman is a very good and very famous actress, but she is also very narcissistic and the h gets her a plum role in a movie version of Macbeth (Theatrically known as The Scottish Play because of bad juju.)
The h's newest and biggest name is in the throws of a major tantrum on the movie set. The actress ex-wife of the H wanted the part to be with her latest lover, who is the H's contracted actor and stars as the Thane of Cawdor.
But our murderous King of Scotland actor can't seem to keep his lance of lust in check, either, and while the H's the redoubtable ex wife has no problems cheating herself, she takes great exception to be cheated on.
The H is in a bind cause the movie isn't getting made and lawsuit potential is multiplying and he summons the h like a lackey to come sort out her actress. The h again allows a few roofie kisses and the Treacherous Body Syndrome to overcome her tiny bit of calcium and answers the H's summons with a loyal pant and a wiggle.
The h does do a great job getting the actress back to work and we learn the whole story about how the H and the ex wife were married for two months when the ex was 18 and he was 24 and he was working all the time and she cheated with his former partner and then everyone moved on to bigger and better things, no hard feelings, really, after all this time.
All this drama means the by now rather intoxicated with the H's connivance h has to spend the night at the film crew's hotel and of course she ends up sleeping with the H, he had no actresses convenient to shack up with.
After cracking a joke about stealing the h's client list and then telling her she either sleeps in his bed or outside in his car on a freezing night, the h and H wind up having a boudoir moment after he tells her that he loves her.
When the h wakes up in the morning, she finds the H holding her Filofax, (which is a leather contact organizer used before smart phones,) and she finally figures out that the H is out to mess her over in more ways than one.
She has a major hissy fit and the H basically humiliates and laughs at her. The h has a mopey moment in the bathroom and then has to come out apologize to the H, again. The h decides to declare her love for the H and he claims that he has a ring, which we never see, and that they need to get married.
(He very conveniently skittles around any references to whomever else he might be sleeping with at the time by claiming he is subject to a lot of exaggeration)
The H now plans to marginalize her business by moving her into the attic of a supposed new house he will purchase, (probably offering to take care of her more important clients to boot.)
But the h will not really have time for a career anyways, cause she will be tending the domestic and childcare duties of the home front, while the H continues running his multi-country theatrical agencies and sleeping with whatever lovely lady happens to be the flavor of the day for the very non-sparkly and non believable HEA.
This book did nothing but irk me to death. I did not find the perpetual cycle of bickering, threats and then h apologies to be in any way, shape or form entertaining.
ML had to really work hard to stay within what she decided were the precepts of HPlandia - which ML believed dictated that an HP h couldn't be more successful or equal with the H and also that when career and motherhood were at stake, the career had to go.
(You could see the struggle on page, the h would pull off a pretty smart career move and then was forced by the author to go through yet another bickerfest and apology routine with the H.)
It wasn't funny to see this obviously talented and smart h get belittled and unsupported on all sides during this. I would have tolerated this book much better in the HPlandia of ten years earlier, but at this point and time in the HP line up, it came across as dated, outmoded and trite and I thought that when I read it 20 years ago.
ML never did much in the way of hero sincerity here, there was no convincing scene that led me to believe he really did love her. Unfortunately this H came across more as wanting to belittle a woman for daring to challenge him or step outside of his appointed role for her - plus she had the temerity to refuse his demands that she wait around for his sexual convenience and he was not about to let that go unpunished.
There are some funny moments in the book and the story really does move along quickly, but ML also has the h kinda dithery about her new career path. That heroine hesitancy is probably supposed to soften the forced abandonment of her career at the end, but as the times in HPlandia are a'changing, ML is one of the few HP writers who just can't seem to keep pace with it and her stories are starting to show it.
It seems Mr. Loverman Pump and Dump H has a 'no working with staff he has slept with in a fit of ennui' rule for occasions such as this.
Our poor little h has no clue that her two years of unrequited love and a dirty weekend lurve club extravaganza are going to cause her to wind up jobless, reference-less and contemplating having to sell her nice flat cause she can't meet the mortgage. The h can't find another theatrical agent job and her sister won't hire her.
ML does the full stereotype here with a red-haired h, that is frequently berated as shrewish by the misogynistic, multiple and simultaneous lady buffet sampling H, after the hurt and furious h rejects the H's offer of being the overladen beast of burden for a has-been drunkard who owns a voice agency around the corner from the H's office.
The H gets all kinds of irate and starts the nasty h is 'a harlot tart' name calling, after telling the h all about the sudden New York City expansion of his agency and how he hired the voice agency owner's current beast of burden guy to go do Big and Great things for the H.
(But the H is sure h will be so grateful to know that she is so downmarket third class that she can easily just slip into the role of eternal handmaiden and run the drunk guy's business, with no acknowledgement, while making herself available for the H to pump and dump in between his regularly scheduled seductions of more popular, wealthy ladies and theatrical stars.
The hurt, bewildered H really can't understand why any poor little office type like the h isn't leaping for joy at just the thought of being an occasional afterthought when he needs a little stress relief or a nice back staircase quicky.)
The h is quite rightly livid over this announcement. After threatening the H with a wrongful termination suite and then kicking him out of her flat, the h decides to take up an offer to finance her own theatrical agency, made by the H's former partner who is now a big time property developer.
The H and the former partner broke their partnership after the H's young actress wife had an affair with the partner, so there is not much love lost there and the h is soon convinced that she has the contacts and the knowledge to make a success of an agency of her own.
There is more verbal spats with the H. Especially after the h hires his prior female assistant and uses the similar initials of the H's agency for her own agency name.
Unfortunately none of this really inflicts much damage on the H, in fact a few H roofie kisses here and there and the h ends up apologizing for her actions all the time - even when she manages to set up her own voice talent division and her actions don't directly influence the H.
The H meantime is all about flaunting his new assistant, who took over the h's job, and apparently he has no problems sleeping with her and keeping her in the office too, unlike his time with the h.
Things come to a big blow up when the h gets the H's actress ex wife on her books. The woman is a very good and very famous actress, but she is also very narcissistic and the h gets her a plum role in a movie version of Macbeth (Theatrically known as The Scottish Play because of bad juju.)
The h's newest and biggest name is in the throws of a major tantrum on the movie set. The actress ex-wife of the H wanted the part to be with her latest lover, who is the H's contracted actor and stars as the Thane of Cawdor.
But our murderous King of Scotland actor can't seem to keep his lance of lust in check, either, and while the H's the redoubtable ex wife has no problems cheating herself, she takes great exception to be cheated on.
The H is in a bind cause the movie isn't getting made and lawsuit potential is multiplying and he summons the h like a lackey to come sort out her actress. The h again allows a few roofie kisses and the Treacherous Body Syndrome to overcome her tiny bit of calcium and answers the H's summons with a loyal pant and a wiggle.
The h does do a great job getting the actress back to work and we learn the whole story about how the H and the ex wife were married for two months when the ex was 18 and he was 24 and he was working all the time and she cheated with his former partner and then everyone moved on to bigger and better things, no hard feelings, really, after all this time.
All this drama means the by now rather intoxicated with the H's connivance h has to spend the night at the film crew's hotel and of course she ends up sleeping with the H, he had no actresses convenient to shack up with.
After cracking a joke about stealing the h's client list and then telling her she either sleeps in his bed or outside in his car on a freezing night, the h and H wind up having a boudoir moment after he tells her that he loves her.
When the h wakes up in the morning, she finds the H holding her Filofax, (which is a leather contact organizer used before smart phones,) and she finally figures out that the H is out to mess her over in more ways than one.
She has a major hissy fit and the H basically humiliates and laughs at her. The h has a mopey moment in the bathroom and then has to come out apologize to the H, again. The h decides to declare her love for the H and he claims that he has a ring, which we never see, and that they need to get married.
(He very conveniently skittles around any references to whomever else he might be sleeping with at the time by claiming he is subject to a lot of exaggeration)
The H now plans to marginalize her business by moving her into the attic of a supposed new house he will purchase, (probably offering to take care of her more important clients to boot.)
But the h will not really have time for a career anyways, cause she will be tending the domestic and childcare duties of the home front, while the H continues running his multi-country theatrical agencies and sleeping with whatever lovely lady happens to be the flavor of the day for the very non-sparkly and non believable HEA.
This book did nothing but irk me to death. I did not find the perpetual cycle of bickering, threats and then h apologies to be in any way, shape or form entertaining.
ML had to really work hard to stay within what she decided were the precepts of HPlandia - which ML believed dictated that an HP h couldn't be more successful or equal with the H and also that when career and motherhood were at stake, the career had to go.
(You could see the struggle on page, the h would pull off a pretty smart career move and then was forced by the author to go through yet another bickerfest and apology routine with the H.)
It wasn't funny to see this obviously talented and smart h get belittled and unsupported on all sides during this. I would have tolerated this book much better in the HPlandia of ten years earlier, but at this point and time in the HP line up, it came across as dated, outmoded and trite and I thought that when I read it 20 years ago.
ML never did much in the way of hero sincerity here, there was no convincing scene that led me to believe he really did love her. Unfortunately this H came across more as wanting to belittle a woman for daring to challenge him or step outside of his appointed role for her - plus she had the temerity to refuse his demands that she wait around for his sexual convenience and he was not about to let that go unpunished.
There are some funny moments in the book and the story really does move along quickly, but ML also has the h kinda dithery about her new career path. That heroine hesitancy is probably supposed to soften the forced abandonment of her career at the end, but as the times in HPlandia are a'changing, ML is one of the few HP writers who just can't seem to keep pace with it and her stories are starting to show it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2018
Wow, this was one quick fun read. A very contemporary feel to the plot for a book written in the 1990s.
One of those books you can almost see rolling out like a rom com movie. Crisp, fun, engaging about a workplace romance gone wrong, leading to a never ending battle of wits and wills between a sexist nightmare of a H and a feisty headstrong h. Mary Lyons has given us some really ‘wonderful’ asshat Hs but this one is a king louse (at least to begin with).
*Spoilers ahead*
The h works for the H at his casting company. For past 4 years they have maintained a very professional relationship but for this recent trip to Tahiti where they suddenly auto-combust as their unacknowledged and unresolved sexual tension overwhelms them. The book opens on the Monday morning they get back to work after the trip.
She trips in all happy and in love, not at all prepared for the bombshell awaiting her. As he feels it is unprofessional to be involved with an employee, he calmly tells her that she is being fired with a handsome settlement of course, and could they please continue being f**k buddies? *wink wink* The h is understandably devastated as she was expecting a happy Monday reunion at work which might include getting laid and certainly not getting laid off! She rants and raves but the sexist skank is unrepentant and furious that she is not falling in with his plans.
The h, made of sterner pigheaded stuff, rallies after her heartbreak and decides to hit him where it would hurt most- his beloved agency. She sets up shop in the same building with a similar name and thus war is declared!
What follows is constant rivalry, bickering, name-calling (carrot haired harpy and slimy ratbag are examples) and one-upmanship between the mcs when they are not getting in hot cinches or tender moments (whereupon she is auburn haired again).
Throw in some interesting secondary characters (another disgruntled ex-employee chipping in as her PA, his ex-partner who had cuckolded the H in the past and now her financier, a temperamental actress ex wife—all in her corner, and his revenge-a buxom blonde replacement for her - and you are set for a thoroughly enjoyable ride.
One of those books you can almost see rolling out like a rom com movie. Crisp, fun, engaging about a workplace romance gone wrong, leading to a never ending battle of wits and wills between a sexist nightmare of a H and a feisty headstrong h. Mary Lyons has given us some really ‘wonderful’ asshat Hs but this one is a king louse (at least to begin with).
*Spoilers ahead*
The h works for the H at his casting company. For past 4 years they have maintained a very professional relationship but for this recent trip to Tahiti where they suddenly auto-combust as their unacknowledged and unresolved sexual tension overwhelms them. The book opens on the Monday morning they get back to work after the trip.
She trips in all happy and in love, not at all prepared for the bombshell awaiting her. As he feels it is unprofessional to be involved with an employee, he calmly tells her that she is being fired with a handsome settlement of course, and could they please continue being f**k buddies? *wink wink* The h is understandably devastated as she was expecting a happy Monday reunion at work which might include getting laid and certainly not getting laid off! She rants and raves but the sexist skank is unrepentant and furious that she is not falling in with his plans.
The h, made of sterner pigheaded stuff, rallies after her heartbreak and decides to hit him where it would hurt most- his beloved agency. She sets up shop in the same building with a similar name and thus war is declared!
What follows is constant rivalry, bickering, name-calling (carrot haired harpy and slimy ratbag are examples) and one-upmanship between the mcs when they are not getting in hot cinches or tender moments (whereupon she is auburn haired again).
Throw in some interesting secondary characters (another disgruntled ex-employee chipping in as her PA, his ex-partner who had cuckolded the H in the past and now her financier, a temperamental actress ex wife—all in her corner, and his revenge-a buxom blonde replacement for her - and you are set for a thoroughly enjoyable ride.
November 5, 2015
I liked this book. The heroine is determined to get her revenge. Her boss has a weekend fling with her and when she returns to the office he fires her because he doesn't believe in getting involved with people he works with. She's secretly been in love with him for two years but knew that if he knew about her feelings she would be gone, but he's the one that pursued the weekend together so obviously she didn't expect to be fired and have her life ruined.
The heroine is a fiery red head with a hot temper and a smart mouth. So if you don't like banter, some tantrums, some maybe immature over reactions you might want to stay away from this one. However, I like it when the h tries to get a little revenge and in this case I thought he deserved even worse than he got.
March 3, 2022
DNF about a halfway through. Plot jumps back and forth and is a complete mess, hero is a contemptible playboy who fires the heroine after spending a weekend with her, heroine is annoying, and everyone talks in the most excitable, dramatic, unpleasant way to each other. Glancing at other reviews confirms his behavior only gets worse, so bye.
February 26, 2022
Πραγματικά τελείως προτότυπο, ξεφεύγει από τα τετριμμένα story .
Από την πρώτη σελίδα καταλαβαίνεις ότι θα διαβάσεις κάτι πολύ διαφορετικό!
Ο πόλεμος ξεσπάει και οι σελίδες διαδέχονται η μία την άλλη με την ίδια ένταση.
Είναι γεμάτες από ερωτισμό και ανταγωνιστικότητα.
Πραγματική απόλαυση!
Τα 4 αστεράκια θα μπορούσαν ανετα να ήταν 5, αν η απόλυτη παράδοση των ηρώων δεν ερχόταν τόσο γρήγορα.
November 5, 2015
I read this book on a recommendation and loved it.
Laura has been working for Jack at his theatrical agency for a couple years and been secretly in love with him for ages. On a work trip to Tahiti they get it on. Back in London, Jack calls Laura into his office and terminates her employment, because his company has an established ‘no one Jack works for is allowed to sleep with him’ policy.
Laura is super bummed about this because she really enjoys her job, and Jack’s whole ‘sweetheart, everything will be fine, trust me’ attitude makes her head explodes with crankiness. So she yells at him and storms out.
Eventually, Jack gets home from a business trip to New York and shows up at her place to tell her that he’s given this awesome job that would have been hers if she hadn’t slept with him to the office moron. But not to worry, Jack has found Laura a boring drudge job just around the corner from the office. So they can have nooky at lunchtime and Jack doesn’t have to be bothered by a whole lot of crap from Laura about having sacked her.
Laura is massively unimpressed by Jack’s solution and her head catches fire and she vows vengeance.
And her plan is really awesome – she sets up a rival agency in the same building. She has a list of people Jack doesn’t like, so she starts working with all of them, and it makes him crazy.
This is such a fun book, and Laura is so likeable. She does all this stuff in such a way that it feels almost accidental, like she hadn’t really thought about it too much and then suddenly she’s having these innocent little chats with Jack, about how it’s coincidental that her agency has the same acronym as his. She’ll do this stuff, and then have a super feisty conversation with Jack when he gets a bit threatening, and then she feels a bit guilty about it for a while, until Jack does something stupid again and it all starts over.
Both Jack and Laura were pretty adorable because they kept finding their own craziness funny.
And Laura has won me over forever because she has a Filofax. I am currently obsessed by Filofaxes and planners in general, and I even went to philofaxy to see if I could work out what circa 1996 Filofax Laura owned. I’ve decided she had a Devonshire (‘top of the range soft nappa leather organiser, with deluxe interior features’).
Laura has been working for Jack at his theatrical agency for a couple years and been secretly in love with him for ages. On a work trip to Tahiti they get it on. Back in London, Jack calls Laura into his office and terminates her employment, because his company has an established ‘no one Jack works for is allowed to sleep with him’ policy.
Laura is super bummed about this because she really enjoys her job, and Jack’s whole ‘sweetheart, everything will be fine, trust me’ attitude makes her head explodes with crankiness. So she yells at him and storms out.
Eventually, Jack gets home from a business trip to New York and shows up at her place to tell her that he’s given this awesome job that would have been hers if she hadn’t slept with him to the office moron. But not to worry, Jack has found Laura a boring drudge job just around the corner from the office. So they can have nooky at lunchtime and Jack doesn’t have to be bothered by a whole lot of crap from Laura about having sacked her.
Laura is massively unimpressed by Jack’s solution and her head catches fire and she vows vengeance.
And her plan is really awesome – she sets up a rival agency in the same building. She has a list of people Jack doesn’t like, so she starts working with all of them, and it makes him crazy.
This is such a fun book, and Laura is so likeable. She does all this stuff in such a way that it feels almost accidental, like she hadn’t really thought about it too much and then suddenly she’s having these innocent little chats with Jack, about how it’s coincidental that her agency has the same acronym as his. She’ll do this stuff, and then have a super feisty conversation with Jack when he gets a bit threatening, and then she feels a bit guilty about it for a while, until Jack does something stupid again and it all starts over.
Both Jack and Laura were pretty adorable because they kept finding their own craziness funny.
And Laura has won me over forever because she has a Filofax. I am currently obsessed by Filofaxes and planners in general, and I even went to philofaxy to see if I could work out what circa 1996 Filofax Laura owned. I’ve decided she had a Devonshire (‘top of the range soft nappa leather organiser, with deluxe interior features’).
September 20, 2016
Jack owns a theatrical agency, Laura is his PA. Jack is very successful and Laura is his right hand woman. Until they are away on business and Jack puts the moves on Laura, returning back to the office Monday morning Laura is still in a state of orgasmic bliss, when Jack calmly announces that his company has a no fraternisation rule between employees and promptly sacks her. Laura is absolutely spitting mad. Soon enough she will fall behind on her mortgage and will have to sell her much loved apartment. But then Jack arrives and has arranged a new job for her, plus he'd like to continue with their affair. The job he's found her is rubbish and as for him wanting to continuing to see her privately there's no way, and she lets him know in no uncertain terms what she thinks of him.
But then an old business associate of Jack's offers to finance her to start her own agency, in the same building where Jack's is located. That's when the fun starts.
Considering this was written in the nineties it doesn't feel like that, I loved both Jack and Laura their interactions were highly entertaining. Laura isn't one of those weak heroines, she's got a backbone. Jack's attempts to wind her up made me laugh, right down to the curvy blond whom he hired to replace her, and hopefully make her jealous.
But then an old business associate of Jack's offers to finance her to start her own agency, in the same building where Jack's is located. That's when the fun starts.
Considering this was written in the nineties it doesn't feel like that, I loved both Jack and Laura their interactions were highly entertaining. Laura isn't one of those weak heroines, she's got a backbone. Jack's attempts to wind her up made me laugh, right down to the curvy blond whom he hired to replace her, and hopefully make her jealous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2016
3 1/2 Stars ~ After a wicked weekend in Tahiti with her sexy boss, the love of her life, Laura arrives at the office on a high, only for her boss, Jack, to bring her world tumbling down.
I must confess at this stage I didn't really like Jack very much, but Ms. Lyons quickly back tracks to their weekend away, and we see a different Jack, one whose clearly smitten with Laura. However, Laura was right, no one seemed to have a job for her, and when her settlement doesn't arrive, nor the glowing recommendation, she faces the prospect of having to sell her condo because she can't keep up the mortgage. And just as she thinks she's heard the last from Jack he prances back into her life, and thinks he's got the perfect job for her with another firm, but it's not the job Laura felt she deserved and after another sparring match, it's Jack's turn to storm out. The only solution is to start her own casting agency, with Jack's former partner backing her.
It's obvious to this reader that Jack and Laura adore each other; with Jack afraid of commitment after a bad brief marriage, and Laura afraid that Jack is only interested in sleeping with her. There's is an explosive combustible relationship, riddled with misunderstandings and jumps to ridiculous conclusions. Their trip to HEA was great fun to read.
'I should have known better than to give in to temptation—however enticing it may have seemed at the time. Unfortunately, I can now see that our brief...er...affair was a very unfortunate mistake.’
‘A mistake...?’
‘I’m not blaming you—it’s entirely my own stupid fault,’ he admitted with a heavy sigh, brushing long, tanned fingers through his dark hair. ‘Nevertheless, rules are rules. And they apply as much to me as to my colleagues,’ he added quickly over her strangled gasp of protest. ‘So, while I obviously don’t want to lose you, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to terminate your employment with this firm.’
‘You must be kidding!’ she gasped, scarcely able to believe her ears.
‘No—I’m perfectly serious.’
Suddenly feeling as though she’d been hit very hard on the back of the head by a heavy sandbag, Laura stared blankly at his hawk-like profile.
‘On our trip to the South Pacific, I had absolutely no intention of doing anything which would jeopardise our normal, good working relationship. ‘On the other hand...’ he hesitated for a moment ‘...I have to confess that during the past year I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on work when you’re around. The truth is, Laura, I find you far too...er...far too distracting. Which is precisely why I’m going to have to let you go. I am very sorry about the situation, of course, but—’
‘You’re sorry? How the hell do you think I feel?’ she cried, still not really able to believe that this was happening to her. ‘Incidentally, if you’re going to fire me, kindly have the courtesy to do it to my face!’ she demanded furiously, incensed at the way he was continuing to avoid looking at her.
‘This isn’t a decision which I’ve taken lightly,’ he said as he swung his chair back from the window...
‘While I agree that you’ve always been a valued, highly successful member of this agency, I’m not prepared to reconsider my decision. However, I will, of course, give you a handsome settlement in lieu of the proper notice, as well as a glowing reference.’
‘Oh, gee—thanks!’ Laura glowered at the handsome man sitting behind his desk. ‘So, what happens when, halfway through an interview for a new job, someone asks, “And just why did you leave your last firm, Miss Parker?” What am I supposed to say? That my boss fancied a quick fling—and is now covered with remorse for having had his evil way with me?’ She gave a shrill, harsh peal of laughter, roughly pushing back her chair as she leaped to her feet. ‘For God’s sake, Jack, they’d never believe it. Not in a month of Sundays!’
‘Calm down, Laura! I really don’t think that—’
‘No—you’re right. That’s one thing you didn’t think about,’ she retorted, her voice rising in fury as she paced angrily about the room. ‘Any prospective employer is bound to assume that I was either cooking the books or that I was caught with my hand in the till. And why?’ she demanded fiercely, spinning around to face him. ‘Because no one could possibly imagine that handsome Jack Wilder—the “Mr Loverman” of the London theatrical world, who’s had more girls than I’ve had hot dinners—would sack a colleague simply because they spent a weekend together.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ he snapped.
‘I’m not the one who’s going to look ridiculous when the news gets out,’ she stormed, her temper by now well out of control as she hit back at the man who was treating her so cruelly.
‘Get out!’
‘Relax—I’m going. But if you think you’ve seen or heard the last of me you’re very much mistaken,’ she hissed, quickly whisking herself around the other side of the door as Jack left his desk and began moving menacingly towards her. ‘Because I’m going to get my own back on you...you philandering Casanova—if it’s the last thing I ever do!’
I must confess at this stage I didn't really like Jack very much, but Ms. Lyons quickly back tracks to their weekend away, and we see a different Jack, one whose clearly smitten with Laura. However, Laura was right, no one seemed to have a job for her, and when her settlement doesn't arrive, nor the glowing recommendation, she faces the prospect of having to sell her condo because she can't keep up the mortgage. And just as she thinks she's heard the last from Jack he prances back into her life, and thinks he's got the perfect job for her with another firm, but it's not the job Laura felt she deserved and after another sparring match, it's Jack's turn to storm out. The only solution is to start her own casting agency, with Jack's former partner backing her.
It's obvious to this reader that Jack and Laura adore each other; with Jack afraid of commitment after a bad brief marriage, and Laura afraid that Jack is only interested in sleeping with her. There's is an explosive combustible relationship, riddled with misunderstandings and jumps to ridiculous conclusions. Their trip to HEA was great fun to read.
June 21, 2013
Jack meets Laura and he breaks his three golden rules.
September 18, 2019
Seriously having committed an unforgivable crime where H the CEO fires h an employee who has financial commitments based on her paycheck for no fault of hers and he suffers no consequence for his decision to have sex with her is not acceptable. On top of this the h continues to be a doormat where she doesn't set up a biz against H when given an opportunity. Seriously had to give up on this book due to h who is just dumb and H who is unethical and unworthy of being a H. I think she does get her priorities right and sets up her own business. I skipped a few chapters to go to the end and then there she is promising to try to 'obey' as part of the marriage proposal and agrees to put their future kids and him ahead of business! This is a book written in 1996 but reads like a regency era book.
Read
October 8, 2025Firing your personal assistant after sexing her up on a romantic weekend is not just outrageous, unethical, immoral, and disgusting, it is literally against the law where I live, and I would assume most modern countries including England where this is set.
Just, wow. That is unforgivably despicable, sexist, abhorrent behavior.
Ok, a bit further in, she threatens the H with a lawsuit for sexual harassment and retaliatory firing, etc. so they do acknowledge that.
The H is a sexist dumbass though. He's going to now set her up in a shitty position so that they can carry on their affair and just sort of see how things go from there? After publicly firing her on the spot for something he initiated entirely?
He had zero intention of giving her any real position of power or authority in the company even though she was capable and had the absolute audacity to think he was the wounded party when she rejected his proposal? (proposal of totally-not-a-mistress, but some undefined relationship with sex involved, plus a sop of a demotion of a job as personal assistant not to the owner of the business, but to an incompetent alcoholic in a low-earning branch of the business)
What is annoying is that I have the feeling at the end the h is going to be all like, "oh I was so unreasonable to threaten a legit lawsuit and then set up an agency in opposition to yours instead of being set up as your totally-not-mistress with a nominal position in your company as a sop for your conscience, sweetie!"
Just, wow. That is unforgivably despicable, sexist, abhorrent behavior.
Ok, a bit further in, she threatens the H with a lawsuit for sexual harassment and retaliatory firing, etc. so they do acknowledge that.
The H is a sexist dumbass though. He's going to now set her up in a shitty position so that they can carry on their affair and just sort of see how things go from there? After publicly firing her on the spot for something he initiated entirely?
He had zero intention of giving her any real position of power or authority in the company even though she was capable and had the absolute audacity to think he was the wounded party when she rejected his proposal? (proposal of totally-not-a-mistress, but some undefined relationship with sex involved, plus a sop of a demotion of a job as personal assistant not to the owner of the business, but to an incompetent alcoholic in a low-earning branch of the business)
What is annoying is that I have the feeling at the end the h is going to be all like, "oh I was so unreasonable to threaten a legit lawsuit and then set up an agency in opposition to yours instead of being set up as your totally-not-mistress with a nominal position in your company as a sop for your conscience, sweetie!"
September 18, 2021
Two plus stars rounded up because of a couple funny scenes, but this one doesn’t come together for me. The romance is flat and the ongoing pinpricks of payback don’t tell a compelling story
March 21, 2022
That was a sloooogggg. Skip.
April 16, 2021
Jack Wilder had three golden rules:
1) Never mix business with pleasure.
Unfortunately he had broken that one the moment he met Laura Parker. The fact that she worked for him was easily fixed.
2) Love them and leave them…
The press didn't call Jack Mr Loverman for nothing. Laura had fallen for his casual seduction, only to find herself sacked for sleeping with the boss!
3) Never underestimate the competitions.
Laura was determined that she wasn't going to be just another notch on Jack's bedpost! She wanted revenge! Jack Wilder would just have to add another rule to his list�that hell had no fury like a woman scorned!
A special treat for Valentine's Day from the bestselling author of The Yuletide Bride and Dark and Dangerous.
1) Never mix business with pleasure.
Unfortunately he had broken that one the moment he met Laura Parker. The fact that she worked for him was easily fixed.
2) Love them and leave them…
The press didn't call Jack Mr Loverman for nothing. Laura had fallen for his casual seduction, only to find herself sacked for sleeping with the boss!
3) Never underestimate the competitions.
Laura was determined that she wasn't going to be just another notch on Jack's bedpost! She wanted revenge! Jack Wilder would just have to add another rule to his list�that hell had no fury like a woman scorned!
A special treat for Valentine's Day from the bestselling author of The Yuletide Bride and Dark and Dangerous.
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