Lindsay Lockheart pernah menolak Alessio Capelli, pengacara perceraian yang terkenal itu. Ia bertekad tetap pada pendiriannya, tetapi situasi berkata lain. Demi menyelamatkan posisi adiknya di firma sang pengacara, Lindsay menggantikannya sebagai asisten pribadi pria itu selama dinas ke Kepulauan Karibia.
Alessio sungguh tidak memahami kenapa Lindsay mau repot-repot demi orang lain. Pandangan wanita itu tentang hubungan romantis dan keluarga juga tak bisa dipahaminya. Namun kesempatan untuk menghabiskan waktu dengan wanita itu tentu takkan disia-siakannya.
Lindsay dan Alessio jelas dua kutub yang berbeda, tetapi mungkin keduanya perlu memberi cinta kesempatan untuk hadir di antara mereka…
USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women's fiction and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors.
Look out for Sarah's next novel coming in May - Brave New Summer (UK title)/ Five Star Summer (US/Canadian title)
Heroine: Please, you must help me find my sister whom I have controlled her whole life. Hero: Let's have sex Heroine: I'm a relationship counselor and meaningless sex is the worst thing you can ever do. Hero: Let's have sex Heroine: Look, I know you're a billionaire divorce lawyer for rich and powerful guys. You must hate women. Hero: Let's have sex Heroine: But, but . . . You're going to fire my sister if she doesn't show up for work? It's your fault she ran off with your brother. Hero: Let's have sex. Heroine: You want me to take my sister's place as your assistant? And go to your private island in the Caribbean? Do divorce lawyers always meet their clients on their private islands? Hero: Let's have sex. Act II
And that's about as deep as their conversations ever went. Hero was as shallow as puddle. The heroine was neurotic - physician, heal thyself. I think the sister made a great escape.
I could not put this book down. It really drew me in and kept me on the hook--watching the sizzling interactions between this couple. Not only that--I was drawn in by the well-written dialogue between Lindsay and Alessio. Lindsay and Alessio actually talked most of this book, having very meaningful discussions. Although they were polar opposites when it came to their worldviews and outlooks on relationships, they came to realize that they had the same trust and relationship issues, deep down.
Alessio is one of those heroes that seem tailor-made for the shovel to head treatment. But, he wasn't. His arrogance and hard-hearted personality actually hid a man who had been hurt deeply through the actions of his mother against his father. He is a rake, through and through, but he discovers that he has a heart. In the process of trying to break down Lindsay's defenses and beliefs about true love and relationships, be comes to realize that he likes and appreciates who she is. That she is a good woman who has her reasons for why she behaves the way she does.
I really appreciated how Miss Morgan presented this couple, and how we see them grow. Lindsay learns to let go and to be less of a control freak. To open her heart to experiences and to love. Even though she does give in to Alessio's seduction, it's on her terms and with her eyes open. She's not whiny or weak. She's a strong woman who's rational and in control of her emotions. She's not a soft touch. But, she comes to realize that desire is something that she can feel, because that's part of who we are as humans, and because she's fallen in love with Alessio. Even though Alessio is hard at first, I could see why Lindsay fell for him. That he was a good guy deep down. He learns that he can give his heart to a woman and feel intimacy with her that is not about sex, but about an emotional connection. And I loved the end, how Alessio does make a gesture and show how he loved Lindsay.
I would recommend this book to the Harlequin Presents reader who wants a more modern kind of story that shows a relationship developing between two people who probably shouldn't be attracted to each other and fall in love--because they do have that connection that brings soulmates together. In the end, I did believe that Lindsay and Alessio were two halves of the same heart, helping each other to realize that they don't have to be slaves to their pasts, but that their past shapes them to be people who can love and find freedom to love in their lives.
Once again, I've loved and enjoyed one of Sarah Morgan's books. Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
The title of this book is deceiving, as Lindsay isn't exactly a virgin. That wasn't stated clearly, but the simple fact that Alessio didn't gasp and react like an idiot after he made love with her the 1st time was a strong clue to the state of her "un-virginity", LOL. I wouldn't say she was Alessio Capelli's captive either, because she chose to go with him by her own choice... Okay, he kind of blackmailed her into it, but she could have said no and the world wouldn't have come to an end.
Hmmm, I'm afraid that's all I feel like saying - which was pretty much nothing, LOL - for now. I might come back later to write a review, but I'm not making any promises.
Really more like 2.5 stars. Nothing too exciting. The characters talk a lot, yes, but nothing too interesting. The ending was quite abrupt and we never get to see when or why the hero comes to the conclusion that yes, after all he loves the heroine and that yes, after all he does believe in marriage when his whole life he believed differently. I also never quite got when the heroine fell in love with the hero other than her sudden epiphany as I didn't feel the chemistry at all between the characters despite it being mentioned several times.
The heroine was a total basket case who desperately needed therapy herself instead of counseling other people. Luckily she comes to the realization that she is a total basket case and shouldn't be counseling people in the end. Given her looniness, the hero had the patience of a saint. There was so much contradictory talk about the characters' respective beliefs and values that left me confused- so you don't believe in love and marriage but you do? You don't believe in purely no strings attached sex but you do? It was just too much for my powers of suspension of disbelief. The whole time the heroine preaches that you shouldn't mistake sexual chemistry for love and that sexual chemistry alone should not be the basis for marriage. In the end, it seems this is precisely the mistake that the hero and heroine make for I was never even remotely persuaded that they loved each other- another inconsistency in this book. And he's a divorce lawyer who represents clients from all over the world and has offices in Rome and NY? How does that work? Even if he were admitted to practice in both jurisdictions, I don't see how that could possibly work logistically.
Oh, and the synopsis is totally inaccurate and has nothing to do with the story at all!
All in all, this one felt contrived and there were too many inconsistencies for me to suspend my disbelief enough to really get into the story. A disappointing read as I know Sarah Morgan can and has done so much better. I guess we can't always nail them all.
What a fun, sexy book! Sarah Morgan knows how to deliver the laughs, the emotion, and the drama in a fast, tight read that kept me turning the pages for more. (Full disclosure: I consider Sarah a friend, but this book was still right up my alley for what I enjoy.)
This book is totally made of win, and while there are plenty of aspects for me to gush about (like the excellent build up from the get-go with their sizzling chemistry and undeniable sexual tension:D), what I will take with me, in the end, are the conversations.
Genuine talk . . . angry talk, sensual talk, happy talk, revealing talk, guilty talk, upset talk, and all kinds of talk. I think it's so easy for characters to give in to lust and that's sort of their gateway to 'love' . . . Sometimes we aren't given much chance to get to know each person and the revelations about their character/history/motivation/desires are exposed swiftly. Readers aren't really shown how they fall in love . . . That's why I love this book. It's so refreshing to see these two characters, who, on the surface, are hopeless opposites of each other, but once stripped of their layers, are really just two individuals who make a perfect pair.
They battle and (she)fight the attraction (his weapon: his words; her defense: her actions) existing between them, both having a hard time with emotional ties and the intimacies it necessitates. It's lovely to see each of the characters develop (discuss!) throughout the novel; acknowledging their past, learning more about themselves in the process . . . accepting, trusting, and letting go, and finally making concessions that allowed them to submit to the Power of Love. :D
I downloaded this book on my Nook after reading A Night of Scandal, which I looooved. Needless to say, (after recovering from the book-bliss I am in right now) you will find me reading more of Ms. Sarah Morgan's work. ;)
I enjoyed and certainly liked it. But I didn’t love this book like some of Sarah Morgan’s other books. In the beginning I was more interested in finding out if the sister got her share of comeuppance for her reckless behavior than how the MC’s romance progressed. No epilogue as it is a fairly common occurrence in this author’s HP romance. Recommended.
Jangan terkecoh oleh judul bukunya, karena heroine-nya bukan virgin. Entah kenapa author memilih judul spt ini.
Sebenarnya saya agak gagal paham dgn maksud dan tujuan Lindsay menggantikan adiknya. Demi menyelamatkan posisi adiknya di firma sang pengacara, Alessio Capelli, Lindsay menggantikannya sebagai asisten pribadi pria itu selama dinas ke Kepulauan Karibia. Ini sbnrnya tujuan pribadi yg ditutupi seolah-olah demi sang adik? 🤔
Kedua, Lindsay jadi galau menjadi-jadi di pulau tsb. Baiklah, mungkin Lindsay bukan pecinta pantai spt diriku. Tapi saya tetep bingung utk apa fungsinya Lindsay di pulau itu, kalau ujung-ujungnya berakhir juga dgn berhubungan intim. Koq jadi spt jinak-jinak merpati begitu? 🤔
Ketiga, walaupun author bertekad utk memaparkan perbedaan mereka yg intens, Alessio adalah pengacara spesialis perceraian sedangkan Lindsay adalah konsultan relationship, saya merasa bukan disitu perbedaan mereka, tetapi krn cara pikir mereka khas wanita dan pria. Yg pria mikirin seks mulu sedangkan yg wanita berdalih terus utk memperlambat hal yg tak terelakkan bakal terjadi tsb. Ya begitu deh tarik ulur novel Harlequin ini. Jadinya si Lindsay plin-plan sedangkan si Alessio lebih punya ketetapan dan tujuan.
Overall gak usah mikir pas baca tapi pasti hrs mikir waktu bikin reviewnya. 😜
It was a very good read,Alessio-Lindsay adored them both-these two were the case of "Opposites attract" both had different set of ideologies & values,enjoyed their banters and they had some quiet meaningful banters,i was irritated with Lindsay's over protectiveness but as we get to know the past it is clear that Lindsay brought Ruby up as a mother-i came to understand her worries & fears.
I really liked the fact that we got to know the past of Alessio-Lindsay which shaped them as they are today,both realise they have trust issues,in a way both healed & freed each other by the end their deal.
I was disappointed cause there was no epilogue:)otherwise i liked and enjoyed the book very much Recommend it
Just could not stop reading the book, The sudden swerve of emotions are unremarkably related to each other, forming an intricacy that establishes an intimacy, wherein the couple finally realise that a relationship must consist of love and sex..... But it was the conversations that left their mark... There were all kinds of talk, and personally, there was not a single moment I felt like: "Oh, here they go again"..... because, all the talks were essential in building the relationship. While Lindsay showed unlenting love towards her little sister, (which somehow led her into making some hurtful decisions, naturally because of her worry and fear - these decisions made Ruby pull back from her); Alessio appears to be very understanding, and comforts Lindsay, in every possible way.
I loved this book. Such wonderful endearing main characters. I liked how it was an "opposites attract" theme and how the H would tease the h on their opposing views. They both had unstable childhoods which explained their choice of profession later in life and they both dealt with it in different ways.
The attraction between them was strong from the start and I like how their relationship developed gradually into something deeper that neither of them could deny in the end.
For such a nice book - one of the lamest titles ever!
DNF! OMG! do you know how sometimes a book would have so little dialogue and most of the book will be the inner thoughts of the characters in the plot? will this book is the exact opposite! The whole book was one argument which gets repeated again and again and again until you just want to shoot then and then yourself for keeping on reading!
The h’s sister is 21 years old and the H is very right to say her sister has her own life. She keeps nagging the H about her sister.
Two pages ago - in the same conversation with the H - she was mad at the H for giving her sister a job. And now that the H says he will fire her sister, she begs him not to do that. 🙄
The setting is just perfect. I fell in love not just to how the story unfolded but to Sicily as well. Sarah served an enchanting description of the island perfectly that it felt like I was actually on a vacation!
Since I'm a sucker for romantic novels, it seems like I always fall for the usual story line yet indeed, all love stories have different plots and this is where their story came in. Almost all romance novels have happy endings but how H & h fell in love with each other here in this book is such a delight to read. Getting to know one another in a deeper way by having more meaningful conversations and eventually fell in love with each other although both of them have a totally opposite views and values when it comes to relationships. Somehow, I see myself in the heroine that's why I could relate to her strong stance on relationships.
Their pasts and childhood both played a part on how they became as adults and it's quite a challenge for both of them but love managed to break the ice for them to compromise in the end. Oh, how I love what Alessio did in the last part of the book. Only proves how love can change people unknowingly.
Relationship counselor and divorce lawyer. Lindsay has turned down ruthless Sicilian Alessio Capelli once before, but he's determined she won't do it again--he will use her and discard her! Circumstance has provided him with the ideal opportunity: Lindsay has been forced to step into her missing sister's shoes and work for him.This time Alessio will be the one in control. He relishes the thought of having a virgin in his bed, and he'll do everything to keep her captive--until he's ready to dismiss her.
Love it. The heroine and hero are complete opposites. The hero was a divorce lawyer, meanwhile the heroine is a relationship consoler. Both had broken homes, it was sad really.
The heroine was looking for her sister and thought the hero would know where she was as her sister worked for him and besotted with his brother. She was worried about her and knowing her sister would lose her job, she came wih him to replace her sister. There their explosive chemistry cannot be avoided.
Lindsay has spent her entire life caring and raising her baby sister. Now she has disappeared and Lindsay must face the man she had to refuse, her sister's boss.
Alessio is a man who believes in sex. He finds that love andded to sex, is definately a much more desirable state.
I'm not sure if anyone had noticed the little fun sarcastic humor in the story. This books gives me such pleasure in the sense that it's not complicated at all, and the story line is smooth. Love it!
This is one of my ABSOLUTE favorites and also the first SM book I had ever read! This has a special place in my heart and I adore both the characters and how they've been created. The lawyer and the relationship counselor, what a spectacular combination for a hate-love story! I
An over protective sister is trying to finder her sister who ran off with her boss's brother. If she doesn't return before his flight to the Caribbean to meet with a client she is out of a job. So, her sister takes her place...
this book was amazoning. it was subtle. a slow seductoin and not a fast head in all hit. the build uo love it was not a hit in the head love at first sit love.