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Only Lover
Dare she strike a deal with this man?
Farrah knew her father's career would be ruined unless she intervened-and swiftly. One simple, human error shouldn't be held against him, she decided. And she was sure his employer, the handsome dynamic Joel Falcone, would understand ....
But Joel's hardheaded response shocked her. He would help her, on one condition: that she pretend to be his lover!
Farrah felt uneasy at the cold calculation behind his offer. And even more uneasy at how disturbingly attractive she found him. Yet she had no choice ....
Farrah knew her father's career would be ruined unless she intervened-and swiftly. One simple, human error shouldn't be held against him, she decided. And she was sure his employer, the handsome dynamic Joel Falcone, would understand ....
But Joel's hardheaded response shocked her. He would help her, on one condition: that she pretend to be his lover!
Farrah felt uneasy at the cold calculation behind his offer. And even more uneasy at how disturbingly attractive she found him. Yet she had no choice ....
190 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
40 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,296 books907 followersI have written almost 250 romance novels in contemporary and Regency.
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 26, 2021
It was a long time ago i read about the cynical and cold-hearted heroes of Carole Mortimer,one of them is Joel Falcone.His mindblowing love-story with the innocent but beautiful Farrah Halliday was a enjoyable and delightful read and i just LOVED this couple together.Just love the way Carole Mortimer writes with such pronounced stroke and use of romantic meanings.I enjoyed the characters conversations,teasing and their jealous behaviour towards each other.This certainly is another amazing 5 star read.
***
" I don't know how to describe how I feel! I thought I was a hardened cynic, that nothing could touch me, and yet your lightest touch inflames me and I want you to the point of madness. Like now,' he groaned, his eyes closing as if to shut out the sight of her. 'I want to lay you down in the soft warm sand and feel your body against mine in the full beauty of your nakedness, to caress you until you cry out for mercy." -Joel
***
***
" I don't know how to describe how I feel! I thought I was a hardened cynic, that nothing could touch me, and yet your lightest touch inflames me and I want you to the point of madness. Like now,' he groaned, his eyes closing as if to shut out the sight of her. 'I want to lay you down in the soft warm sand and feel your body against mine in the full beauty of your nakedness, to caress you until you cry out for mercy." -Joel
***
January 3, 2021
Heroine expects hero to drop charges against her embezzling father because she is asking nicely. Lol.
It works because our 37-year-old hero is thinking with his little head. He can now match wits with the 19 year old heroine as they “pretend” to be an item so one of the hero’s OW’s will back off (and sell her shares in his publishing business).
They each lie about their feelings and try to make the other jealous.
All the minor characters slut-shame the heroine for even dating such an aged satyr. (Her father, the embezzler, has to be the biggest hypocrite)
Heroine stands firm and keeps her virginity. Eventually the author runs out of steam (and page count) so hero throws in the towel and gives up his bachelor status to ask the heroine to marry him.
Honestly, the bachelor status (vs. virginity) is the more precious commodity in this story – it lasted longer and hero guarded it protectively.
Heroine 1 Hero 0
It works because our 37-year-old hero is thinking with his little head. He can now match wits with the 19 year old heroine as they “pretend” to be an item so one of the hero’s OW’s will back off (and sell her shares in his publishing business).
They each lie about their feelings and try to make the other jealous.
All the minor characters slut-shame the heroine for even dating such an aged satyr. (Her father, the embezzler, has to be the biggest hypocrite)
Heroine stands firm and keeps her virginity. Eventually the author runs out of steam (and page count) so hero throws in the towel and gives up his bachelor status to ask the heroine to marry him.
Honestly, the bachelor status (vs. virginity) is the more precious commodity in this story – it lasted longer and hero guarded it protectively.
Heroine 1 Hero 0
November 30, 2019
"Only Lover" is the story of Farrah and Joel.
The book begins with the h's father stealing from the H's company, and her finding out about it. She is also a low level employee in the same firm. She then goes to plead her father's case, and finds the H to be very intimidating. The playboy H then propositions her to be his fake girlfriend, to throw his mistress off. He has been an unscrupulous tomcat, but finds himself extremely fascinated with the naive h.
The rest of the book is them bantering, with him teasing her and get getting annoyed, loads of jealous OM/OW drama, realization of love, groveling and HEA. I really liked the way the h's innocence bought the H to his knees.
Very enjoyable.
Safe
4/5
The book begins with the h's father stealing from the H's company, and her finding out about it. She is also a low level employee in the same firm. She then goes to plead her father's case, and finds the H to be very intimidating. The playboy H then propositions her to be his fake girlfriend, to throw his mistress off. He has been an unscrupulous tomcat, but finds himself extremely fascinated with the naive h.
The rest of the book is them bantering, with him teasing her and get getting annoyed, loads of jealous OM/OW drama, realization of love, groveling and HEA. I really liked the way the h's innocence bought the H to his knees.
Very enjoyable.
Safe
4/5
December 16, 2025
Simple but entertaining
That age gap was almost criminal, but I love a hardened cynic falling for the innocent that hates him~
I just wish the plot had moved a bit more naturally. Their interactions were entertaining, but the rest was lackluster.
The tension was sizzling~~ I know Carole Mortimer can waver between pixelated, not overly explicit to open door, but this was completely clean! I'm sulking a little about that. I was waiting for the final explosion and never got it.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬
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That age gap was almost criminal, but I love a hardened cynic falling for the innocent that hates him~
I just wish the plot had moved a bit more naturally. Their interactions were entertaining, but the rest was lackluster.
The tension was sizzling~~ I know Carole Mortimer can waver between pixelated, not overly explicit to open door, but this was completely clean! I'm sulking a little about that. I was waiting for the final explosion and never got it.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬
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February 9, 2016
This one had a little of everything and a good read if you want some passionate kissing and violent tempers. It's not a great book but it had all the fun of an old fashion going to get this babe horizontal. I loved how he kept calling her to apologize after calling her a slut. So sweet and she was not having any of his bullshit. Enjoyable
January 8, 2016
I liked it but I expected something more intense.
April 16, 2021
A deal for a mistress…
Farrah knows her father's career will be ruined unless she intervenes—and quickly! One simple, human error shouldn't be held against him and she's sure his employer, darkly handsome and dynamic Joel Falcone, will understand…
But Joel's hard-headed response shocks her—as does the powerful attraction between them!—and she's uneasy at the cold calculation behind his offer. Yet with no other choice, Farrah must take his deal… Joel will help Farrah, on one condition: she must pretend to be his mistress!
Farrah knows her father's career will be ruined unless she intervenes—and quickly! One simple, human error shouldn't be held against him and she's sure his employer, darkly handsome and dynamic Joel Falcone, will understand…
But Joel's hard-headed response shocks her—as does the powerful attraction between them!—and she's uneasy at the cold calculation behind his offer. Yet with no other choice, Farrah must take his deal… Joel will help Farrah, on one condition: she must pretend to be his mistress!
September 4, 2017
An author I have always loved.
But....this was another teenage girl and the hero was double her age.
But....this was another teenage girl and the hero was double her age.
June 14, 2021
3 stars would have been too generous. This book seriously lacked depth. I was so excited about the plot, only to be disappointed.
February 2, 2022
Was okay.
A 1980’s book. Tried and true trope. The virgin heroine pleads w the Hero to forgive her father’s larceny. Hero takes advantage of the situation by making her his fake girlfriend to get fprid of the OW.
The heroine is young and innocent which kinda frustrates the player Hero since he is attracted to her but knows she is too young for him.
I liked that for her age, the heroine was self aware enough to object to being used and she stood on her guns well. When the Hero slut shamed her during a jealous rage, she hung up on him and refused to take his numerous calls, so he had to cut his business trip to rush back to her 😁👍🏻 Way to go heroine!
So yes it had some cute parts, but was a bit boring.
A 1980’s book. Tried and true trope. The virgin heroine pleads w the Hero to forgive her father’s larceny. Hero takes advantage of the situation by making her his fake girlfriend to get fprid of the OW.
The heroine is young and innocent which kinda frustrates the player Hero since he is attracted to her but knows she is too young for him.
I liked that for her age, the heroine was self aware enough to object to being used and she stood on her guns well. When the Hero slut shamed her during a jealous rage, she hung up on him and refused to take his numerous calls, so he had to cut his business trip to rush back to her 😁👍🏻 Way to go heroine!
So yes it had some cute parts, but was a bit boring.
January 28, 2021
I absolutely love, love, love this story. I keep re-reading this. In my opinion this book is a HP masterpiece.
It has all the ingredients I love in a HP: a rich, besotted, jealous, dominant H who makes no secret of his feelings for the h; an innocent, sympathetic virgin h; the chemistry of real love; the H relentlessly pursuing the h, an OW who stands no chance against the h because the H only has eyes for the h ever since he met the h; a H who isn’t afraid to say he is sorry; some sort of ‘blackmail’.
This book is much more than a 5 star read.
It has all the ingredients I love in a HP: a rich, besotted, jealous, dominant H who makes no secret of his feelings for the h; an innocent, sympathetic virgin h; the chemistry of real love; the H relentlessly pursuing the h, an OW who stands no chance against the h because the H only has eyes for the h ever since he met the h; a H who isn’t afraid to say he is sorry; some sort of ‘blackmail’.
This book is much more than a 5 star read.
February 22, 2020
Inside the book:
"Your body is lovely-----and I should know. "
Farrah shivered at the seduction in Joel's voice as he went on. "I wanted you that night. A fleeting emotion but true nonetheless. "
Disbelieving, she stared into the sleepy passion of his narrowed eyes. "You want me?" She repeated tremulously.
"Yes." His hand covered the nervous movements of hers. "Does that surprise you? It shouldn't. " He smiled mockingly. " I don't usually make love to women I find unattractive. "
She gasped. " But you don't make love to me!"
"No, but I could have. It was too soon, that's all. It wasn't the right time for us."
"It will never be the right time!" Farrah cried indignantly. "I won't be used in the this pretense!"
"Your body is lovely-----and I should know. "
Farrah shivered at the seduction in Joel's voice as he went on. "I wanted you that night. A fleeting emotion but true nonetheless. "
Disbelieving, she stared into the sleepy passion of his narrowed eyes. "You want me?" She repeated tremulously.
"Yes." His hand covered the nervous movements of hers. "Does that surprise you? It shouldn't. " He smiled mockingly. " I don't usually make love to women I find unattractive. "
She gasped. " But you don't make love to me!"
"No, but I could have. It was too soon, that's all. It wasn't the right time for us."
"It will never be the right time!" Farrah cried indignantly. "I won't be used in the this pretense!"
September 27, 2015
il compito di Farrah non è facile: dovrà convincere il proprio principale, Joel Falcone, a non procedere per vie legali nei confronti di suo padre che ha sottratto all'azienda un'ingente somma di denaro per curare la moglie. Ma come fare a convincere un uomo così cinico e disprezzabile? Nonostante tutto è Joel a trovare la soluzione. Lui, per liberarsi della sua amante, Laura Bennett, decide che Farrah dovrà fingere di essere la sua nuova fidanzata. Lei acconsente, ma il gioco si trasforma in realtà perchè entrambi si sentono attratti l'uno verso l'altro. Laura, però, accetterà la situazione?
December 8, 2015
Dare she strike a deal with this man?
Farrah knew her father's career would be ruined unless she intervened-and swiftly. One simple, human error shouldn't be held against him, she decided. And she was sure his employer, the handsome dynamic Joel Falcone, would understand ....
But Joel's hardheaded response shocked her. He would help her, on one condition: that she pretend to be his lover!
Farrah felt uneasy at the cold calculation behind his offer. And even more uneasy at how disturbingly attractive she found him. Yet she had no choice ....
Farrah knew her father's career would be ruined unless she intervened-and swiftly. One simple, human error shouldn't be held against him, she decided. And she was sure his employer, the handsome dynamic Joel Falcone, would understand ....
But Joel's hardheaded response shocked her. He would help her, on one condition: that she pretend to be his lover!
Farrah felt uneasy at the cold calculation behind his offer. And even more uneasy at how disturbingly attractive she found him. Yet she had no choice ....
September 10, 2015
not bad but not the angsty read i expected either. i dunt also believe joel could be attracted to someone as naive and unawakened as farrah. she was such a child ! it's very hard for me to believe she was ready for romance. this is still a nice read anyway ! but not one i wud read again as i guess i wud suffer from boredom ! :P
November 28, 2012
The first time reading this novel, it sounds and feels completely romantic in a barbaric sort of way. However reading this novel over again, you realize that the hero and heroine had little to no normal relationship with each other. It was kind of sad.
October 15, 2012
Loved it!!
October 30, 2023
Farrah approaches Joel to not charge her father with embezzlement. He agrees for a price, she will pretend to be his lover.
March 25, 2019
3.5 stars
August 13, 2021
Not inspiring and lacked intensity, but overall an OK read.
19-year heroine and her father both work for the hero's firm. Her father stole a crap-ton of company funds and is in trouble. She approaches the 37-year hero about not prosecuting her dad, even though she has nothing to bargain with.
Our rake hero decides that the heroine can pretend that they are in love so that his on/off again other woman will finally leave him alone and sell her company shares to him. While the hero had a very open relationship with the other woman, apparently she walked in on him when he was "with" another woman and that was just too much for him, so now she's got to go.
Within only TWO weeks of fake dating, hero falls hard for the heroine, but the number of references to her innocence and hot young bod made me doubting love over lust (especially considering the age difference).
Hero is so besotted that in the end he professes regret over all the women he has shagged and that he wishes the heroine had been his "first" like he was to her. Heroine has to console the hero and basically says it's cool because all the other women helped you learn how to be good in bed.
19-year heroine and her father both work for the hero's firm. Her father stole a crap-ton of company funds and is in trouble. She approaches the 37-year hero about not prosecuting her dad, even though she has nothing to bargain with.
Our rake hero decides that the heroine can pretend that they are in love so that his on/off again other woman will finally leave him alone and sell her company shares to him. While the hero had a very open relationship with the other woman, apparently she walked in on him when he was "with" another woman and that was just too much for him, so now she's got to go.
Within only TWO weeks of fake dating, hero falls hard for the heroine, but the number of references to her innocence and hot young bod made me doubting love over lust (especially considering the age difference).
Hero is so besotted that in the end he professes regret over all the women he has shagged and that he wishes the heroine had been his "first" like he was to her. Heroine has to console the hero and basically says it's cool because all the other women helped you learn how to be good in bed.
September 12, 2024
I didn't like it.
Not at fan of all the other women drama, there were too many other women. He even kissed another woman in front of heroine when they were on their first date, it was a fake date and he had no intentions of anything developing between him and heroine. I still didn't care for it. Also he danced really closely with another woman in front of heroine. Then his ex Laura was mentioned all the time and she made several appearances.
He was never faithful to any woman before heroine and slept with lots of women and then slept with his ex Laura too.
Heroine was annoying throughout the whole book, she caused so many problems by not being honest.
As for their connection, I didn't think their relationship would last or that he really loved her, but after the last couple pages when he said he regretted sleeping with other women and wished he had been her first as well, I believed he really loved her and that he wouldn't cheat. Np.
Not at fan of all the other women drama, there were too many other women. He even kissed another woman in front of heroine when they were on their first date, it was a fake date and he had no intentions of anything developing between him and heroine. I still didn't care for it. Also he danced really closely with another woman in front of heroine. Then his ex Laura was mentioned all the time and she made several appearances.
He was never faithful to any woman before heroine and slept with lots of women and then slept with his ex Laura too.
Heroine was annoying throughout the whole book, she caused so many problems by not being honest.
As for their connection, I didn't think their relationship would last or that he really loved her, but after the last couple pages when he said he regretted sleeping with other women and wished he had been her first as well, I believed he really loved her and that he wouldn't cheat. Np.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2021
So out of date it's amusing
I like reading some of the older harlequin s but this one is 40 years old and so trite it's funny. I guess it's good to preserve it for historical reasons. I won't go in to all the ways it bothered me but I'm glad times have changed.
I like reading some of the older harlequin s but this one is 40 years old and so trite it's funny. I guess it's good to preserve it for historical reasons. I won't go in to all the ways it bothered me but I'm glad times have changed.
July 19, 2020
Disappointing read by Carole Mortimer, another tale of a 19 year old and an older playboy type. Yuck.
April 17, 2021
3.5 stars
February 1, 2022
3.5 🌟⭐️⭐️ great vintage goodness
February 20, 2023
Haar enige schakel
July 17, 2025
Farrah's father embezzled money from the company she works in with him for her mother's sake. Unfortunately, her was discovered and about to be prosecuted by Joel Falcone, the company's owner. In order to help, she went personally to plead his case to Joel, but her confrontation backfired. Joel asked her to act as his lover for the sake of getting rid of his mistress and in the same time his business partner who wanted to marry him!
A silly predictable story, and not even convincing at that!
A silly predictable story, and not even convincing at that!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2016
Gli occhi dell'innocenza
titolo italiano.
Buttare allo sbaraglio una ragazzina di 19 anni, contro un lupo di 37 quasi coetaneo del padre....
oddio, compito non facile.
Anche se scritto tanti anni fa storia molto attuale.
Mi sarei aspettata anche delle storie collegate... specialmente quella del migliore amico di lui.
titolo italiano.
Buttare allo sbaraglio una ragazzina di 19 anni, contro un lupo di 37 quasi coetaneo del padre....
oddio, compito non facile.
Anche se scritto tanti anni fa storia molto attuale.
Mi sarei aspettata anche delle storie collegate... specialmente quella del migliore amico di lui.
August 12, 2011
I can't believe I used to like this book. There isn't even any relationship between them.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews