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Shadowed Stranger
Her love was doomed before it had begun
Rick Howarth was "too" everything: too old, too sophisticated, too experienced, and most of all, too married!
But none of that prevented eighteen-year-old Robyn Castle from falling in love with him. Not that she knew he was married. That was one little detail Rick hadn't mentioned.
When Robyn found out, she soon realized that she could never be the "other woman" in Rick's life, so she firmly resolved to give up the only man she would ever love....
Rick Howarth was "too" everything: too old, too sophisticated, too experienced, and most of all, too married!
But none of that prevented eighteen-year-old Robyn Castle from falling in love with him. Not that she knew he was married. That was one little detail Rick hadn't mentioned.
When Robyn found out, she soon realized that she could never be the "other woman" in Rick's life, so she firmly resolved to give up the only man she would ever love....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published January 1, 1982
34 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,296 books909 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 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 15, 2014
Sweet naive very young heroine falls for an older mysterious stranger who is visiting her hometown. But once she mistakenly assumes that the man she loves is a married man she breaks things off.
She meets a new guy and she is going to London to meet his parents because they are getting married and at her fiancé's house she is bumping into our hero! Awkward!
I loved this sweet love story. I liked that hero was a doctor, I liked the big age difference and how they both tried to resist each other. I liked how the author showed us their first wedding anniversary and the birth of their baby.
CM used to be an amazing author. I'm convinced her new books are written by someone else! Lol!
She meets a new guy and she is going to London to meet his parents because they are getting married and at her fiancé's house she is bumping into our hero! Awkward!
I loved this sweet love story. I liked that hero was a doctor, I liked the big age difference and how they both tried to resist each other. I liked how the author showed us their first wedding anniversary and the birth of their baby.
CM used to be an amazing author. I'm convinced her new books are written by someone else! Lol!
November 17, 2018
"Shadowed Stranger" is about two separated lovers,which where the hero fights for the heroine after the separation.
Robyn Castle is a very honest heroine,and she weren`t afraid to show her love.Her naive and childish nature made Rick Howarth afraid of her love.
It`s very obvious that he is attracted against his will to her because he is 18 years older than her and i understand his coldness and rejection.
But through a misunderstanding that makes the heroine reject him after the other half of the book,it will be the heros time to fight for her and make her marry him.
I just love the scenes where he seduces her,it was so hot.!
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK!!!
Robyn Castle is a very honest heroine,and she weren`t afraid to show her love.Her naive and childish nature made Rick Howarth afraid of her love.
It`s very obvious that he is attracted against his will to her because he is 18 years older than her and i understand his coldness and rejection.
But through a misunderstanding that makes the heroine reject him after the other half of the book,it will be the heros time to fight for her and make her marry him.
I just love the scenes where he seduces her,it was so hot.!
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK!!!
February 8, 2019
too much bickering and I lost interest. There was no chemistry between the hero and heroine as they bickered. I was underwhelmed.
April 25, 2019
Loved it.
H is much older than the h: the age difference is almost disturbing but.... he is so passionate - my kind of alpha.
I read other reviews and different opinions about the h: I liked her. She's very young so ... emotional turmoils and so on.
Mind-blowing romance, very steamy!
H is much older than the h: the age difference is almost disturbing but.... he is so passionate - my kind of alpha.
I read other reviews and different opinions about the h: I liked her. She's very young so ... emotional turmoils and so on.
Mind-blowing romance, very steamy!
December 30, 2017
"Shadowed Stranger" is the story of Rick/Oliver and Robyn.
Basically, 18 year old Robyn's bike is run over by a "stranger" in her town, who she later comes to know is Mr Oliver, 35 and she is immediately infatuated by his mocking tones and offhand-ish manner, so much that three bruising kisses later she's in love with him!
He on the other hand constantly berates her, treats her like a child and then immediately disappear- only for her to discover his secret!
So basically there an immature heroine, overbearing mysterious hero, loads of infantile drama and HEA. First the hero is not interested and heroine is- midway through the book the situation reverses and he is just totally into her. I liked his pursual in the end, but a mild misunderstanding and he was storming away like a babe.
Appreciated the ending but overall, meh.
Safe
1.5/5
Basically, 18 year old Robyn's bike is run over by a "stranger" in her town, who she later comes to know is Mr Oliver, 35 and she is immediately infatuated by his mocking tones and offhand-ish manner, so much that three bruising kisses later she's in love with him!
He on the other hand constantly berates her, treats her like a child and then immediately disappear- only for her to discover his secret!
So basically there an immature heroine, overbearing mysterious hero, loads of infantile drama and HEA. First the hero is not interested and heroine is- midway through the book the situation reverses and he is just totally into her. I liked his pursual in the end, but a mild misunderstanding and he was storming away like a babe.
Appreciated the ending but overall, meh.
Safe
1.5/5
April 12, 2020
Never disappointed with Carole Mortimer's work. This book was fascinating and I TOTALLY LOVED story line and all the character, especially Rick & Robyn. I recommend it to all.
June 18, 2014
The edition I read had really bad editing and the writing wasn't stellar. I couldn't get past either one.
May 3, 2025
This was an absurd little story about 18-year-old Robyn Castle, who falls in love with 36-year-old Rick Howarth, the mysterious stranger who moves in down the road from her.
I'm not sure what is sillier about this story: The idea Robyn, an otherwise sensible girl, would immediately fall head over heels for a disheveled, out-right rude, and much older man that she has known for 5 minutes - or that Rick would doggedly pursue a wholly unremarkable teenaged library employee.
Obviously, the large age gap is what stands out in this book, and perhaps makes it show its age. While I don't particularly like age gaps in romance, it was interesting to read this and compare the attitudes and sensibilities on the subject of age gaps between 1982 and today. In terms of the romance itself, I thought that this book was nothing to write home about. This was one of those books where the leads just bicker and argue the entire time they're together, which isn't my favorite romance dynamic.
Although the story was a little bit dull throughout, the book did take a melodramatic and messy turn in the 3rd act which I found entertaining. I also thought that the setting of the little English village Robyn and her family live in was quite charming.
This was my first Harlequin Present, and I can't say it knocked my socks off. I will try another book from this line by a different author and see if I like that better.
I'm not sure what is sillier about this story: The idea Robyn, an otherwise sensible girl, would immediately fall head over heels for a disheveled, out-right rude, and much older man that she has known for 5 minutes - or that Rick would doggedly pursue a wholly unremarkable teenaged library employee.
Obviously, the large age gap is what stands out in this book, and perhaps makes it show its age. While I don't particularly like age gaps in romance, it was interesting to read this and compare the attitudes and sensibilities on the subject of age gaps between 1982 and today. In terms of the romance itself, I thought that this book was nothing to write home about. This was one of those books where the leads just bicker and argue the entire time they're together, which isn't my favorite romance dynamic.
Although the story was a little bit dull throughout, the book did take a melodramatic and messy turn in the 3rd act which I found entertaining. I also thought that the setting of the little English village Robyn and her family live in was quite charming.
This was my first Harlequin Present, and I can't say it knocked my socks off. I will try another book from this line by a different author and see if I like that better.
April 22, 2012
I like this book. The characters were (mostly) believable. I say mostly because I found the 18 year age gap insurmountable to making the romance believable particularly because the female protag was 18 (only just of legal age). However the age gap was one of the major obstacles for this romance and the hero was constantly deriding himself for being drawn to such a young woman. This made the romance much more palatable for me. I was amused by the heroine feeling jealous of other women upon hearing that the hero was an obstetrician. A good read and the hero was particularly yummy.
July 3, 2017
I couldn't put this book down. In the first half of the story the male protagonist treats the heroine like garbage, in the second half he just adores her. Frankly it wasn't completely clear how or when he fell in love with her. The age gap is huge, but at least she is not a minor as in Charlotte Lamb's Temptation (the two stories have more than one thing in common). I particularly liked the scene in which they see one another again at the party. All in all, a pleasant surprise.
March 2, 2021
I'm glad we don't get an actual sex scene with this story because an 18 year old heroine and a 36 year old hero is too much of an age gap. It's a decent HP but Robyn fell in love with Rick too fast (within a day or two). I like that Rick understood how messed up the age difference was and tried to keep Robyn at arm's length even though he eventually gave in.
April 30, 2015
Bellissimo!!!
Nota importante, perché poi ci si ritrova con i doppioni come è capitato a me:
pubblicato in Italia con 2 titoli diversi
Una trappola per Rick nel 1985
e
"Il lupo solitario"
nel 1992
Nota importante, perché poi ci si ritrova con i doppioni come è capitato a me:
pubblicato in Italia con 2 titoli diversi
Una trappola per Rick nel 1985
e
"Il lupo solitario"
nel 1992
May 16, 2021
The first half of the book is a bit ‘mehh’. A 3 star read. That’s because he is fighting his feelings for her. He is 36, she is 18 and he thinks he is too old for her. She is the one doing the pursuing in the first half of the book. He is the one trying to resist.
But then in the second half of the book, after he left and they hadn’t seen each other for 8 weeks, this book suddenly pops into a 5 star read. The roles are reversed. Suddenly he is the one pursuing after they meet again. And she is the one trying to resist.
I love a stubborn, besotted H in full pursuit of the h. And that is exactly what he is in the second half of the book. He makes his feelings and intentions very clear. The alpha male caveman in him comes to the outside. Love that!
But then in the second half of the book, after he left and they hadn’t seen each other for 8 weeks, this book suddenly pops into a 5 star read. The roles are reversed. Suddenly he is the one pursuing after they meet again. And she is the one trying to resist.
I love a stubborn, besotted H in full pursuit of the h. And that is exactly what he is in the second half of the book. He makes his feelings and intentions very clear. The alpha male caveman in him comes to the outside. Love that!
Read
May 17, 2023Heat Factor: Bruising kisses, plus one scene where they remove all their clothes (but don’t get far because Rick has broken ribs)
Character Chemistry: They bring out the worst in each other
Plot: Robyn falls for an older man, and then discovers he’s not who he says he is
Overall: If you dig dubcon kisses and predatory age gaps, then this was a quick and oddly compelling read
Read our full review at The Smut Report
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Character Chemistry: They bring out the worst in each other
Plot: Robyn falls for an older man, and then discovers he’s not who he says he is
Overall: If you dig dubcon kisses and predatory age gaps, then this was a quick and oddly compelling read
Read our full review at The Smut Report
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
May 27, 2018
the story was ok, but I didn't know who was more childish 30 years old hero or 18 years old heroine.
May 10, 2021
Sweet, naïve Robyn Castle knows that eminent doctor Rick Howarth is the wrong man for her! He’s older, more sophisticated, experienced…and so sinfully delicious that he should be illegal! Despite their differences, enigmatic Rick seems just as infatuated with Robyn as she is with him… Until Rick suddenly leaves.
Heartbroken, Robyn assumes it’s because he’s married and refuses to be the other woman! Getting over him is her top priority. But when Rick comes unexpectedly back into her life, Robyn soon realises that moving on from the passion between them is easier said than done…
Heartbroken, Robyn assumes it’s because he’s married and refuses to be the other woman! Getting over him is her top priority. But when Rick comes unexpectedly back into her life, Robyn soon realises that moving on from the passion between them is easier said than done…
December 1, 2010
Her love was doomed before it had begun
Rick Howarth was "too" everything: too old, too sophisticated, too experienced, and most of all, too married!
But none of that prevented eighteen-year-old Robyn Castle from falling in love with him. Not that she knew he was married. That was one little detail Rick hadn't mentioned.
When Robyn found out, she soon realized that she could never be the "other woman" in Rick's life, so she firmly resolved to give up the only man she would ever love....
Rick Howarth was "too" everything: too old, too sophisticated, too experienced, and most of all, too married!
But none of that prevented eighteen-year-old Robyn Castle from falling in love with him. Not that she knew he was married. That was one little detail Rick hadn't mentioned.
When Robyn found out, she soon realized that she could never be the "other woman" in Rick's life, so she firmly resolved to give up the only man she would ever love....
April 24, 2010
I can call it an ok kind of book. Carole Mortimer's romance books are really funny and absolutely romantic.
May 24, 2016
1,5 stars. O__o
Read
July 2, 2018Her love was doomed before it had begun.
Rick Howarth was “too” everything: too old, too sophisticated, too experienced, and most of all, too married!
But none of that prevented eighteen year old Robyn Castle from falling in love with him. Not that she knew he was married. That was one little detail Rick hadn’t mentioned.
When Robyn found out, she soon realized that she could never be the “other woman” in Rick’s life, so she firmly resolved to give up the only man she would ever love.
Rick Howarth was “too” everything: too old, too sophisticated, too experienced, and most of all, too married!
But none of that prevented eighteen year old Robyn Castle from falling in love with him. Not that she knew he was married. That was one little detail Rick hadn’t mentioned.
When Robyn found out, she soon realized that she could never be the “other woman” in Rick’s life, so she firmly resolved to give up the only man she would ever love.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews