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Scorpio Summer
Frances had done old Lady Ravenscar a very good turn, as a result of which the two had become friends - and the old lady was particularly anxious that Frances should meet her son Felix. Someone ought to have warned Frances that the gentleman in question was a Scorpio, the sign whose sting can sometimes be fatal. Or would she be able, once she had met him, to work that one out for herself?
- GenresHarlequin RomanceRomance
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 7, 2018
Our heroine is an actress who fell in love with her married co-star but nobly refrained from giving in to her feelings and wrecking his marriage. So she leaves their successful play hoping that this will give a chance to her co-star to work things out with his wife.
Back in London, she gets cast in a TV series. Before she starts shooting the series, she meets the series director when they both get stuck in an elevator. Director is an utter cad and rake. He is having a full blown affair with another actress on the cast yet he has the gall to also proposition the heroine for a hot fling in the Greek islands.
Actress is attracted despite herself but wisely remains weary of the guy. Not only is he a big fat manwhore but there is also something shady about him that tells her that underneath all his veneer and oozy charm, he actually loathes her. She rejects his proposition as she is a Mary Sue who believes in twu luv not in meaningless sexual affairs.
Lo and behold, Actress inevitably finds out that the reason for Director acting so shadily is that he is the brother-in-law of the co-star she had previously fallen in love with. As in he is the brother of the co-star’s wife. And he believes that the heroine had an affair with co-star and actively tried to wreck his “happy” marriage. Needless to say, Director despises the heroine, although he wouldn’t mind a fling with her.
Then, co-star comes back in town and goes to see Actress at her flat to apologize to her for putting her in such an awkward position between him and his wife. He tells her he is wholly reconciled with his wife and thanks her for encouraging him to do the right thing. In that moment, Director bursts into Actress' home, thinking she is trying to seduce his brother-in-law again. He has a huge, humiliating fight with her, calling her a two-faced bitch amongst other choice words, etc.
About six months later, the pompous ass realizes his mistake because his brother-in-law finally fessed up and admitted he was the one doing all the running, trying to cheat on his wife, and the Actress not only resisted his advanced but encouraged him to save his marriage. Director condescends to make a half-hearted apology to Actress, which she accepts only to be polite. She puts the kibbosh on any thoughts he had entertained to continue their “friendship.”
I would have been very happy to have the story actually take a radical twist at this point and create a brand new hero for heroine to fall in love with, preferably across a wide, vast ocean, leaving this classless, donkey-brained, poor excuse for a hero to fade in the mist like a stinky fart.
Alas, the HPlandia trope of the life and death accident reunites these two. Hero gets in a car crash that renders him hideously scarred. Actress realizes at this point that she is in love with him and she would rather be miserable with him than miserable apart from him.
The suddenly meek Actress grovels at Director's feet to please, please, please make her his mistress and she fully understands there will be no strings. She will be happy to lap up the crumbs of his affection while waiting for him to kick her to the curb once he is tired of her.
Director agrees to take her to his Greek island love nest. They are on a crowded bus with all his servants dressed in local folk costumes, purportedly going to a religious celebration, when he suddenly pops the question across the bus aisle. WOW. SO ROMANTIC. #sarcasm
Actress gratefully accepts and then we get an epilogue where these two doofuses recreate the magic of their first meeting getting stuck in an elevator together.
P.S. I don't think I have ever seen a more unattractive couple on a Harlequin cover. One of the rare occasions where using Fabio as the model would have been an improvement.
Back in London, she gets cast in a TV series. Before she starts shooting the series, she meets the series director when they both get stuck in an elevator. Director is an utter cad and rake. He is having a full blown affair with another actress on the cast yet he has the gall to also proposition the heroine for a hot fling in the Greek islands.
Actress is attracted despite herself but wisely remains weary of the guy. Not only is he a big fat manwhore but there is also something shady about him that tells her that underneath all his veneer and oozy charm, he actually loathes her. She rejects his proposition as she is a Mary Sue who believes in twu luv not in meaningless sexual affairs.
Lo and behold, Actress inevitably finds out that the reason for Director acting so shadily is that he is the brother-in-law of the co-star she had previously fallen in love with. As in he is the brother of the co-star’s wife. And he believes that the heroine had an affair with co-star and actively tried to wreck his “happy” marriage. Needless to say, Director despises the heroine, although he wouldn’t mind a fling with her.
Then, co-star comes back in town and goes to see Actress at her flat to apologize to her for putting her in such an awkward position between him and his wife. He tells her he is wholly reconciled with his wife and thanks her for encouraging him to do the right thing. In that moment, Director bursts into Actress' home, thinking she is trying to seduce his brother-in-law again. He has a huge, humiliating fight with her, calling her a two-faced bitch amongst other choice words, etc.
About six months later, the pompous ass realizes his mistake because his brother-in-law finally fessed up and admitted he was the one doing all the running, trying to cheat on his wife, and the Actress not only resisted his advanced but encouraged him to save his marriage. Director condescends to make a half-hearted apology to Actress, which she accepts only to be polite. She puts the kibbosh on any thoughts he had entertained to continue their “friendship.”
I would have been very happy to have the story actually take a radical twist at this point and create a brand new hero for heroine to fall in love with, preferably across a wide, vast ocean, leaving this classless, donkey-brained, poor excuse for a hero to fade in the mist like a stinky fart.
Alas, the HPlandia trope of the life and death accident reunites these two. Hero gets in a car crash that renders him hideously scarred. Actress realizes at this point that she is in love with him and she would rather be miserable with him than miserable apart from him.
The suddenly meek Actress grovels at Director's feet to please, please, please make her his mistress and she fully understands there will be no strings. She will be happy to lap up the crumbs of his affection while waiting for him to kick her to the curb once he is tired of her.
Director agrees to take her to his Greek island love nest. They are on a crowded bus with all his servants dressed in local folk costumes, purportedly going to a religious celebration, when he suddenly pops the question across the bus aisle. WOW. SO ROMANTIC. #sarcasm
Actress gratefully accepts and then we get an epilogue where these two doofuses recreate the magic of their first meeting getting stuck in an elevator together.
P.S. I don't think I have ever seen a more unattractive couple on a Harlequin cover. One of the rare occasions where using Fabio as the model would have been an improvement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2016
What a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed the heroine in this one. I have never read anything by this author and I saw another readers review of Capricorn Man and decided to search it out. Unfortunately, I couldn't find Capricorn Man, but I did find this one and now I'm on a search to find more of her work.
August 20, 2022
This one was a wee cracker. Set in the world of acting/TV. The h, Frances is very likeable and real and sparky and the H, Felix is wonderfully dry, cool and masterful. The dialogue sparkles and despite the lack of on page sex or even much in the way of kissing, the author creates a powerful atmosphere of attraction between them. There is some location filming in Cornwall, a twinkly eyed aristocrat mother and a Greek finale that had the colour and joy of mamma mia. My first by this vintage author and I'm hoping for more of this quality when I check out any back catalogue. A very probable reread.
July 2, 2022
3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️really liked this book! There was a tiny part that dragged toward the end, but the reason for that came during the big reveal where all the explanations were out in the open. I think this book had my favorite setting for the ILYs and marriage proposal I have ever read! The epilogue was really good, too!
November 6, 2020
Frances had done old Lady Ravenscar a very good turn, as a result of which the two had become friends - and the old lady was particularly anxious that Frances should meet her son Felix. Someone ought to have warned Frances that the gentleman in question was a Scorpio, the sign whose sting can sometimes be fatal. Or would she be able, once she had met him, to work that one out for herself?
"You're a classic arrogant Scorpio!"
It was only a guess, but Frances knew she was right about this aloof, handsome stranger.
After spending the past six months getting over an ill-fated romance, she was ready for a new man in her life. And she knew she could easily fall in love with this stranger Felix Ravenscar, whom she'd met in the elevator.
But Frances was wary. After all, this noted director was also a well-known philanderer, and she wasn't going to give her love again unless it was returned in equal measure.
"You're a classic arrogant Scorpio!"
It was only a guess, but Frances knew she was right about this aloof, handsome stranger.
After spending the past six months getting over an ill-fated romance, she was ready for a new man in her life. And she knew she could easily fall in love with this stranger Felix Ravenscar, whom she'd met in the elevator.
But Frances was wary. After all, this noted director was also a well-known philanderer, and she wasn't going to give her love again unless it was returned in equal measure.
November 29, 2014
It's really one of my closest ... the author did a very good job although I was hoping more and more description of their facial expressions ; the rooms ; the places ... etc ☺ but what attracted me the most throughout this novel is Frances with her morals ... she made me believe more in faith and love ... finally I got "That you have to wait for things you want ... because patience is better than losing morals you believe in "
enjoyable one _ finished it in 4 hrs _
enjoyable one _ finished it in 4 hrs _
January 3, 2024
I have enjoyed other books by HG but this one is so slow and boring. The only reason suggested for h to love H is physical attraction. They have fun together on location for a few weeks but it’s essentially friends stuff.
H acknowledges h is warm, loving, kind etc but those virtues are more lagniappes than driving forces.
H acknowledges h is warm, loving, kind etc but those virtues are more lagniappes than driving forces.
October 12, 2025
This was an entertaining story, but it had too many flaws. There was too much implied but not enough known about the h's relationship with the OM, who was married to the H's sister. You never see any flashbacks and are led to believe at the start that it was some grand passion, when in fact they never slept together, and it didn't take him long to get back on track with his wife. You don't find out if she knew he was married when she first got involved, if they were dating or just together while they were performing in the play, how long it went on, or any details.
You also don't get any details about a very traumatic experience in the h's life (the death of her parents in a boating accident, where she alone survived) until after her almost obsessive side trip to coastal Wales, which involves her hitching an early morning ride with a truck driver, getting a lift from a lady farmer on her tractor and then borrowing her horse for a time, and then hiking the rest of the way. OH, COME ON!!!! She had rented a bicycle to get her to and from the location shots, so why the heck didn't she use that??? And I'm sure there was some kind of taxi or rent-a-car service that would have made the trip a lot easier! This was all contrived to make for one of those scenes where the H shows up unexpectedly, and that really annoyed me.
It was also silly to have the h try to overcome her fear of being in a boat alone (for one of the scenes in the TV series) when you're not told why she feels that way until later on, when the story of her parents is revealed. This is a romance novel, not a mystery one, so it was silly not to say what was going on from the start. As it was, it just fell flat.
And speaking of romances, this wasn't much of one. For most of the book, the H and h are colleagues (he's the director of the TV series, she's one of the actors), and despite the chemistry between them (and a contrived stuck-in-an-elevator scene in the beginning), most of the time they're apart and dating other people. (There's a second OM in the story, and she goes out with him and makes out with him and knows she's using him but does it anyway; but he's the carefree type, so I guess it didn't faze him.) The H and h have a few make out scenes, but they don't lead to anything, and the H appeared to just want to get her into bed (suggesting a trip to Corfu with NSA).
It seems the H knew almost from the start that she was the OM his brother-in-law had been involved with, so that being the case, why would he want to have anything to do with her? He professes love and loyalty to his twin sister, and then wants to shag the woman he thinks was shagging his sister's husband???
They don't see each other for months, then meet again when he apologizes for thinking she had slept with his brother-in-law and was continuing the affair, and then once again they go for months being apart, getting on with their lives, dating other people, and then the author throws in a contrived auto accident (with the H temporarily blind) to get them back together again. Talk about DUMB!!!
Next thing you know, the h decides to dispense with her virginity and go for that extended "dirty weekend" with the H, only to have him go all prim and proper and keep separating bedrooms at the hotel! Why? Because he wants to marry her, of course!
Meantime, much (way too much) time is wasting describing the flora and fauna and geography of the Greek Isles, as well as festivals, food, etc. ad nauseum.
The only thing I liked at this point was the h's BFF/roommate showing up to be her maid of honor along with the H's good friend who will be his best man. The two have been dating and are now engaged, as well!
I liked them both better than the H and h, which is always a sign that the book's not working the way it should. And yes, another case for me where I wish the story had been about this other couple.
And here's another crazy coincidence: the h helped save the H's mother's life!! And almost from the start, the woman sees her as daughter-in-law material! Too much??? You bet it is!
BTW: the TV series is called "Penruth", it takes place in early 19thc Cornwall and is about an aristocratic man falling for a woman from the lower classes. Gee, why does that sound familiar??? Why do the names "Ross" and "Demelza" keep popping into my head???
If you skip this one, it's no great loss.
You also don't get any details about a very traumatic experience in the h's life (the death of her parents in a boating accident, where she alone survived) until after her almost obsessive side trip to coastal Wales, which involves her hitching an early morning ride with a truck driver, getting a lift from a lady farmer on her tractor and then borrowing her horse for a time, and then hiking the rest of the way. OH, COME ON!!!! She had rented a bicycle to get her to and from the location shots, so why the heck didn't she use that??? And I'm sure there was some kind of taxi or rent-a-car service that would have made the trip a lot easier! This was all contrived to make for one of those scenes where the H shows up unexpectedly, and that really annoyed me.
It was also silly to have the h try to overcome her fear of being in a boat alone (for one of the scenes in the TV series) when you're not told why she feels that way until later on, when the story of her parents is revealed. This is a romance novel, not a mystery one, so it was silly not to say what was going on from the start. As it was, it just fell flat.
And speaking of romances, this wasn't much of one. For most of the book, the H and h are colleagues (he's the director of the TV series, she's one of the actors), and despite the chemistry between them (and a contrived stuck-in-an-elevator scene in the beginning), most of the time they're apart and dating other people. (There's a second OM in the story, and she goes out with him and makes out with him and knows she's using him but does it anyway; but he's the carefree type, so I guess it didn't faze him.) The H and h have a few make out scenes, but they don't lead to anything, and the H appeared to just want to get her into bed (suggesting a trip to Corfu with NSA).
It seems the H knew almost from the start that she was the OM his brother-in-law had been involved with, so that being the case, why would he want to have anything to do with her? He professes love and loyalty to his twin sister, and then wants to shag the woman he thinks was shagging his sister's husband???
They don't see each other for months, then meet again when he apologizes for thinking she had slept with his brother-in-law and was continuing the affair, and then once again they go for months being apart, getting on with their lives, dating other people, and then the author throws in a contrived auto accident (with the H temporarily blind) to get them back together again. Talk about DUMB!!!
Next thing you know, the h decides to dispense with her virginity and go for that extended "dirty weekend" with the H, only to have him go all prim and proper and keep separating bedrooms at the hotel! Why? Because he wants to marry her, of course!
Meantime, much (way too much) time is wasting describing the flora and fauna and geography of the Greek Isles, as well as festivals, food, etc. ad nauseum.
The only thing I liked at this point was the h's BFF/roommate showing up to be her maid of honor along with the H's good friend who will be his best man. The two have been dating and are now engaged, as well!
I liked them both better than the H and h, which is always a sign that the book's not working the way it should. And yes, another case for me where I wish the story had been about this other couple.
And here's another crazy coincidence: the h helped save the H's mother's life!! And almost from the start, the woman sees her as daughter-in-law material! Too much??? You bet it is!
BTW: the TV series is called "Penruth", it takes place in early 19thc Cornwall and is about an aristocratic man falling for a woman from the lower classes. Gee, why does that sound familiar??? Why do the names "Ross" and "Demelza" keep popping into my head???
If you skip this one, it's no great loss.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2025
Heroine is an actress. Hero is a director. They meet by chance in a stuck elevator and then again when hero's mother invites her to a dinner party after heroine helped in the street. Hero is hostile at first, but warms up to offer an affair (which heroine turns down.)
When hero sees a fellow actor leaving her flat, he accuses her of continuing her affair with his twin sister's husband. Seems hero had known all along who she was and was laying traps for her. (But also wildly attractive)
They don't see each other for a year. Hero then appologizes, but heroine is done with him.
Heroine visits his mother and finds the hero, injured, recovering in her home. Heroine starts keeping him company and they end up going to Greece together. There, hero pulls together a proposal and a surprse wedding. It's all very sweet and it goes a long way to redeem the hero wasn't the nicest at times. Heroine in this one is great. Moral, fair, and honest with the hero.
When hero sees a fellow actor leaving her flat, he accuses her of continuing her affair with his twin sister's husband. Seems hero had known all along who she was and was laying traps for her. (But also wildly attractive)
They don't see each other for a year. Hero then appologizes, but heroine is done with him.
Heroine visits his mother and finds the hero, injured, recovering in her home. Heroine starts keeping him company and they end up going to Greece together. There, hero pulls together a proposal and a surprse wedding. It's all very sweet and it goes a long way to redeem the hero wasn't the nicest at times. Heroine in this one is great. Moral, fair, and honest with the hero.
November 5, 2017
This was a nice read, the heroine was level headed and composed, she conducted herself with style and grace despite the false accusations of the Hero.
July 25, 2019
Στον αστερισμό του σκορπιού...
April 11, 2020
3.5 stars
May 4, 2022
A volte un incontro casuale può cambiarci la vita. Una volta i principi azzurri si incontravano in una foresta o in un castello, adesso si incontrano negli ascensori.
December 1, 2024
*3.5 - 3.75 - Enjoyable! I would have preferred the ending to be more finessed, and the heroine to not capitulate so easily
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July 18, 2013 لقاء واحد يكفي
الملخص
كل منا يسعى وراء حلم معين بقناعة ذاتية همّها الوحيد أختصار المسافة بين أثنين. قد يكون هذا هو مايسمى بالحب .
بعد ستة أشهر من الهروب ,وفي محاولة يائسة لنسيان حبها الفاشل لرجل متزوج , أيقنت فرنسيس هارون أنها شفيت أخيرا وهي على أستعداد للدخول في تجربة حب جديدة مع هذا الغريب الذي علقت وأياه بالصدفة في مصعد معطل.
فيلكس رافنسكار من برج العقرب, عازب متكبر يقرب سلوكه من الاستهتار المزعج أحيانا, ولكنه أيضا مخرج ذكي, ناجح في عمله وله عينان جذابتان لهما القدرة على أختراق السطح العادي الى حيث تختبئ العواطف الكامنة وتنتظر في الأعماق , عملت معه في مسلسل تلفزيوني, وهي مصممة على أن لاتمنحه حبها ما لم يبادلها نفس الشعور , وبنفس الحدة والحرارة, هل كان لقاؤهما كافيا ليحدث هذا ؟ أم أن الخيبة , هذه المرة ايضا, ستقلب صفحة أخرى في كتاب حياتها؟
الملخص
كل منا يسعى وراء حلم معين بقناعة ذاتية همّها الوحيد أختصار المسافة بين أثنين. قد يكون هذا هو مايسمى بالحب .
بعد ستة أشهر من الهروب ,وفي محاولة يائسة لنسيان حبها الفاشل لرجل متزوج , أيقنت فرنسيس هارون أنها شفيت أخيرا وهي على أستعداد للدخول في تجربة حب جديدة مع هذا الغريب الذي علقت وأياه بالصدفة في مصعد معطل.
فيلكس رافنسكار من برج العقرب, عازب متكبر يقرب سلوكه من الاستهتار المزعج أحيانا, ولكنه أيضا مخرج ذكي, ناجح في عمله وله عينان جذابتان لهما القدرة على أختراق السطح العادي الى حيث تختبئ العواطف الكامنة وتنتظر في الأعماق , عملت معه في مسلسل تلفزيوني, وهي مصممة على أن لاتمنحه حبها ما لم يبادلها نفس الشعور , وبنفس الحدة والحرارة, هل كان لقاؤهما كافيا ليحدث هذا ؟ أم أن الخيبة , هذه المرة ايضا, ستقلب صفحة أخرى في كتاب حياتها؟
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