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Executive Lady
Philippa knew that her marriage with Raoul, Comte de Martin, was a contract of industrial convenience, and that he felt nothing for her. As she felt nothing for him. Why then was she uneasy in his presence?
No marriage, no merger!
The merger of Vivian Glass with Raoul de Martin's powerful French conglomerate was essential. Philippa knew she couldn't afford to offend him.
But she positively prickled every time Raoul came near her. Here was a man who despised easy flattery, yet seemed compelled to quash the resistance of anyone refusing homage to his potent magnetism.
Raoul was witty, sophisticated, charming--and profoundly cold! How else could he propose marriage in a bid calculated to restore declining investor confidence? And how could she refuse?
No marriage, no merger!
The merger of Vivian Glass with Raoul de Martin's powerful French conglomerate was essential. Philippa knew she couldn't afford to offend him.
But she positively prickled every time Raoul came near her. Here was a man who despised easy flattery, yet seemed compelled to quash the resistance of anyone refusing homage to his potent magnetism.
Raoul was witty, sophisticated, charming--and profoundly cold! How else could he propose marriage in a bid calculated to restore declining investor confidence? And how could she refuse?
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
3 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Weston
182 books43 followersJenny Haddon was born in London, England, where she always returns after the travels that she loves. When she was small, her mother couldn't bear reading aloud, so her mother taught her to read at an appallingly precocious age. She wrote her first book with her own illustrations at the age of four but was in her 20s before she produced her first romance as Sophie Weston.
She studied English Language and Literature at university. Choosing a career was a major problem. It was not so much that she didn't know what she wanted to do, as that she wanted to do everything. So she filed and photocopied and experimented. She worked as consultant at the Bank of England and all the time she drew on her experiences to create her Mills & Boon books. She edited press releases for a Latin American embassy in London (The Latin Afffair); lectured in the Arabian Gulf (The Sheikh's Bride); waitressed in Paris (Midnight Wedding); and made herself hated by getting under people's feet asking stupid questions under the grand title of consultant all over the world (The Millionaire's Daughter). She also is an active member of the UK's Romantic Novelists' Association's Committee, and was its twenty-three Chairman (2005-2007).
Jenny has one house, three cats, and about a million books. She writes compulsively, Scottish dances poorly, grows more plants than she has room for, and makes a mean meringue.
She studied English Language and Literature at university. Choosing a career was a major problem. It was not so much that she didn't know what she wanted to do, as that she wanted to do everything. So she filed and photocopied and experimented. She worked as consultant at the Bank of England and all the time she drew on her experiences to create her Mills & Boon books. She edited press releases for a Latin American embassy in London (The Latin Afffair); lectured in the Arabian Gulf (The Sheikh's Bride); waitressed in Paris (Midnight Wedding); and made herself hated by getting under people's feet asking stupid questions under the grand title of consultant all over the world (The Millionaire's Daughter). She also is an active member of the UK's Romantic Novelists' Association's Committee, and was its twenty-three Chairman (2005-2007).
Jenny has one house, three cats, and about a million books. She writes compulsively, Scottish dances poorly, grows more plants than she has room for, and makes a mean meringue.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 22, 2018
Re Executive Lady - Sophie Weston kicks off her HPlandia tour with a wrecky angstfest that left even a hard-core HP traveler like me a bit disconcerted. Soph can definitely write the pain, I am still uncertain if I believe the resolution. She did pick up HPlandia rule 13 pretty fast tho - The more the H forcibly seduces the h, the greater his love.
I say that as a warning that I had forgotten about this book, the H rapes/forcibly seduces the h in practically every love scene but one in the book. And there are 5 or 6 of them. (Which is lot considering the page count and most HP's at this time average two or three.)
The story starts with the h and H meeting as head of their respective companies to work out a merger. The h is a highly reserved lady who conceals a LOT of pain and hurt behind a pleasant but distant facade. She works as a director of the family glass making firm, and with her Uncle in an uncertain state of health, she pretty much runs it.
The h is an orphan who has very bad memories of her parents and their very destructive fights. They died when she was 11 and she went to live with her mother's brother and his family. Which consists of a dithering, but some times vituperative, aunt who spoils their only son rotten. The cousin is a ne'er do well playboy and his selfish and thoughtless actions have put the company in financial danger.
The H wants a merger with the h's company and he and the h are very politely hostile to each other. The h doesn't like the H because he reminds her of the only man she has ever loved, who grudgingly proposed marriage to get her uncle to support him and then tried to rape her. She managed to get away, but she was traumatized by the experience, and since then has avoided dating and relationships.
Her cousin introduced the ex to her and was angry when she dumped him, the cousin, the ex and the ex's sister (who is also the H's former or maybe current girlfriend,) promptly dismiss her as frigid and cold and spread rumors that she only works at the firm to get some of the family money. The h's grandfather started the firm, the Uncle was getting to old to run it and the cousin was worthless, I felt that the reality was the Uncle and the aunt put a lot of pressure on the h to stay with the firm and run it to their benefit as the uncle knew his son couldn't do it.
The Aunt and Uncle emotionally blackmail and manipulate the h a lot in this one. (This is a common occurrence in Sophie books.) They force her into doing things because they took her in, but it is never openly stated that she owes them - it is all very subtle and underhanded and it leaves the h feeling very lonely, sad and confused. She is loyal tho, so she does her best. Her parents were poor, her father was a struggling musician who just got his big break when he died and her mum was an abusive, angry, spoilt woman who felt cheated of her rightful place as a pampered rich girl, (which should explain a lot about the Uncle and his family.)
As a result of all the traumas the h is very distant with most people. She is very kind however, and does a really good job running the company. Sophie usually has her ladies practicing a very successful career. The H and she skirmish. He disparages her in French, because he thinks she doesn't know it, and then tries it on with her later on. The h feels a physical attraction, but the H is really nasty about it and she feels humiliated.
Then the cousin runs his mouth off to the papers. The company's shares are falling and the Uncle asks the h to marry the H (at his suggestion), to stop the rumors and allow the merger they both need to go through. The h is very angry and tells the uncle off, but she does feel a duty to her employee's and her Uncle and aunt and so tries to negotiate a marriage in name only. The H will be in France and she will be in London and they will live separate lives until the companies are stable and then get divorced.
The H makes some disparaging remarks but doesn't comment on the terms and so the h thinks he is agreeing. The H is very uncommunicative and even more so as the wedding approaches. He supposedly looks pained or weary at times but since there is no dialog, we don't know why. (He was probably constipated or something.)
The h's ex gets invited to the engagement party by the h's cousin, the ex tries to assault the h and the H threatens him pretty effectively. Then the ex's OW sister shows up, hangs all over the H and demands an invite to the wedding and makes some dubious comments along with the h's cousin.
The h likes the cousin, she is pretty blind to how damaging he is, his parents have always doted on him and made sure the h did too. In fact, the aunt lies to the H about how in love the h is with the cousin to manipulate the H into keeping the worthless cousin employed. The h isn't in love with the cousin at all, she sees him as a younger, troublesome brother that she tries to help keep him out of mischief.
The wedding finally arrives and the h is looking worse all the time. The H takes her to France, insists she stay buried in the countryside for a month and then later that night, wakes the h up from sleeping and violently rapes her. She was a virgin and she passes out from the assault. The next morning the H is sorta sorry for hurting her, but doesn't comprehend the scope. He seduces her and then takes off for three days.
The h thinks she in love with the H but she is not happy about it, the H is very distant, mocking and has her imprisoned in his home. He is frequently gone, coming back only to force sex on her and force a physical response. When he is gone, he is photographed with the OW all over him.
The h figures she set the terms of separate lives, so she doesn't say anything - but she is visibly deteriorating and she physically flinches when the H comes near her. Every time they go to bed, she winds up crying and the H either leaves or falls asleep. He has a reputation for destroying things and people that defy him and he is doing the same to her.
The H and h get into a wreck while he is yelling at her about knowing French and not telling him and the h is in hospital. There h gets a reprieve, as the staff sees all is not well and they keep the H away. Then the h returns to the house, buries herself in painting and walks and avoids the H except for sex whenever possible. She is still flinching when ever he comes near. The H asks her about it and she asks him how long he is going to continue raping her. He calls her a bratty child and stalks off. She can't leave because she is still recovering and he took her passport.
She decides to claim her passport is lost and get a new one from the British consulate, the H gives it back but invites the OW, another man and the h's cousin. The OW is all over the H again, he ignores or belittles the h and doesn't sleep in his room. The cousin tells the h that the OM is there to seduce her while the H gets his thing on with the OW.
The cousin and the OW have both been stirring the pot with rumor and innuendo. The h confronts the H and asks if the OM is there for her. The H tells her that he isn't surprised she is resistant, but the OM is getting excited about it. The h then hits the H hard enough to make him stumble and leaves the next day.
Six weeks later the h is back in London, finalizing up the merger details and is going to leave for a new job. The uncle tries to manipulate her into seeing the H. She tells him off and warns him if he continues, she will leave right away. The H finally confronts her in her office, bullies and blackmails her some more and then hauls her off to a country hotel.
He doesn't understand why the marriage can't work. He accuses her of an affair with her cousin which she firmly denies. Then she lays into him about his girlfriend (which he doesn't deny) and the OM setup. The OM was supposedly there to paint her portrait, but if that was the case, why didn't the H introduce him as a painter? It was fairly obvious the h had no clue who he was, instead the H makes her go off with him, so I did wonder what was really going on.
The H realizes that the h fears him, (apparently his OW pointed it out.) He seems to figure out that, yep if a woman is fighting you off and saying no, it isn't true love. The h starts to cry and the H says he has never seen her cry (forgetting every time they had sex I suppose, or maybe he just did not care to notice.) He apologizes, insists that all of his bullying, blackmail and imprisonments were just because he loved her and the h decides to tell him she loves him back and HEA.
The h's pain and angst are very intense. I was kinda hoping she would get a divorce and therapy and maybe move to Tahiti to get away from these people. The repeated forced sex scenes were not only traumatizing to her, but to me too - I went through a ton of cookies and Captain on this one.
I think too many lose ends were left at the end to make his behavior believable as a wildly jealous and in love Alpha though. I really did not see any love from him and the OW was never resolved, nor where the H was at night when the OW was staying with them.
Sophie tries to put it all on the cousin's meddling cause he had a crush on the H's OW, but the H had info that could only have come from the OW and so his fidelity and sincerity are really suspect. The OM scenario is just bizarre and really was an awkward plot device. The cousin was a dangling thread too, so much of his behavior was contradictory, it was hard to figure out what Sophie was trying to do with him. He seemed to genuinely care about the h at times and at others, acted like a two year old who lost his wubby.
I was more than half worried that the H really was just waiting for her to confess her love and then he was going to abuse her more, there just wasn't enough of his dialog or any of his pov to convince me otherwise.
I don't even want to speculate on how horrible he probably acted the day after the supposed HEA. This man was pretty merciless and indifferent to the h's obvious pain. He did not even know she cried every time they had sex. I found myself hoping he and the OW would go horse ridding together and fall off a cliff, but sadly that did not happen.
Unfortunately, the Aliens are NOT friends with Sophie W., so no magical mind transplant occurred either and we are stuck with an unsatisfactory ending to a whole ton of angsty drama.
I say that as a warning that I had forgotten about this book, the H rapes/forcibly seduces the h in practically every love scene but one in the book. And there are 5 or 6 of them. (Which is lot considering the page count and most HP's at this time average two or three.)
The story starts with the h and H meeting as head of their respective companies to work out a merger. The h is a highly reserved lady who conceals a LOT of pain and hurt behind a pleasant but distant facade. She works as a director of the family glass making firm, and with her Uncle in an uncertain state of health, she pretty much runs it.
The h is an orphan who has very bad memories of her parents and their very destructive fights. They died when she was 11 and she went to live with her mother's brother and his family. Which consists of a dithering, but some times vituperative, aunt who spoils their only son rotten. The cousin is a ne'er do well playboy and his selfish and thoughtless actions have put the company in financial danger.
The H wants a merger with the h's company and he and the h are very politely hostile to each other. The h doesn't like the H because he reminds her of the only man she has ever loved, who grudgingly proposed marriage to get her uncle to support him and then tried to rape her. She managed to get away, but she was traumatized by the experience, and since then has avoided dating and relationships.
Her cousin introduced the ex to her and was angry when she dumped him, the cousin, the ex and the ex's sister (who is also the H's former or maybe current girlfriend,) promptly dismiss her as frigid and cold and spread rumors that she only works at the firm to get some of the family money. The h's grandfather started the firm, the Uncle was getting to old to run it and the cousin was worthless, I felt that the reality was the Uncle and the aunt put a lot of pressure on the h to stay with the firm and run it to their benefit as the uncle knew his son couldn't do it.
The Aunt and Uncle emotionally blackmail and manipulate the h a lot in this one. (This is a common occurrence in Sophie books.) They force her into doing things because they took her in, but it is never openly stated that she owes them - it is all very subtle and underhanded and it leaves the h feeling very lonely, sad and confused. She is loyal tho, so she does her best. Her parents were poor, her father was a struggling musician who just got his big break when he died and her mum was an abusive, angry, spoilt woman who felt cheated of her rightful place as a pampered rich girl, (which should explain a lot about the Uncle and his family.)
As a result of all the traumas the h is very distant with most people. She is very kind however, and does a really good job running the company. Sophie usually has her ladies practicing a very successful career. The H and she skirmish. He disparages her in French, because he thinks she doesn't know it, and then tries it on with her later on. The h feels a physical attraction, but the H is really nasty about it and she feels humiliated.
Then the cousin runs his mouth off to the papers. The company's shares are falling and the Uncle asks the h to marry the H (at his suggestion), to stop the rumors and allow the merger they both need to go through. The h is very angry and tells the uncle off, but she does feel a duty to her employee's and her Uncle and aunt and so tries to negotiate a marriage in name only. The H will be in France and she will be in London and they will live separate lives until the companies are stable and then get divorced.
The H makes some disparaging remarks but doesn't comment on the terms and so the h thinks he is agreeing. The H is very uncommunicative and even more so as the wedding approaches. He supposedly looks pained or weary at times but since there is no dialog, we don't know why. (He was probably constipated or something.)
The h's ex gets invited to the engagement party by the h's cousin, the ex tries to assault the h and the H threatens him pretty effectively. Then the ex's OW sister shows up, hangs all over the H and demands an invite to the wedding and makes some dubious comments along with the h's cousin.
The h likes the cousin, she is pretty blind to how damaging he is, his parents have always doted on him and made sure the h did too. In fact, the aunt lies to the H about how in love the h is with the cousin to manipulate the H into keeping the worthless cousin employed. The h isn't in love with the cousin at all, she sees him as a younger, troublesome brother that she tries to help keep him out of mischief.
The wedding finally arrives and the h is looking worse all the time. The H takes her to France, insists she stay buried in the countryside for a month and then later that night, wakes the h up from sleeping and violently rapes her. She was a virgin and she passes out from the assault. The next morning the H is sorta sorry for hurting her, but doesn't comprehend the scope. He seduces her and then takes off for three days.
The h thinks she in love with the H but she is not happy about it, the H is very distant, mocking and has her imprisoned in his home. He is frequently gone, coming back only to force sex on her and force a physical response. When he is gone, he is photographed with the OW all over him.
The h figures she set the terms of separate lives, so she doesn't say anything - but she is visibly deteriorating and she physically flinches when the H comes near her. Every time they go to bed, she winds up crying and the H either leaves or falls asleep. He has a reputation for destroying things and people that defy him and he is doing the same to her.
The H and h get into a wreck while he is yelling at her about knowing French and not telling him and the h is in hospital. There h gets a reprieve, as the staff sees all is not well and they keep the H away. Then the h returns to the house, buries herself in painting and walks and avoids the H except for sex whenever possible. She is still flinching when ever he comes near. The H asks her about it and she asks him how long he is going to continue raping her. He calls her a bratty child and stalks off. She can't leave because she is still recovering and he took her passport.
She decides to claim her passport is lost and get a new one from the British consulate, the H gives it back but invites the OW, another man and the h's cousin. The OW is all over the H again, he ignores or belittles the h and doesn't sleep in his room. The cousin tells the h that the OM is there to seduce her while the H gets his thing on with the OW.
The cousin and the OW have both been stirring the pot with rumor and innuendo. The h confronts the H and asks if the OM is there for her. The H tells her that he isn't surprised she is resistant, but the OM is getting excited about it. The h then hits the H hard enough to make him stumble and leaves the next day.
Six weeks later the h is back in London, finalizing up the merger details and is going to leave for a new job. The uncle tries to manipulate her into seeing the H. She tells him off and warns him if he continues, she will leave right away. The H finally confronts her in her office, bullies and blackmails her some more and then hauls her off to a country hotel.
He doesn't understand why the marriage can't work. He accuses her of an affair with her cousin which she firmly denies. Then she lays into him about his girlfriend (which he doesn't deny) and the OM setup. The OM was supposedly there to paint her portrait, but if that was the case, why didn't the H introduce him as a painter? It was fairly obvious the h had no clue who he was, instead the H makes her go off with him, so I did wonder what was really going on.
The H realizes that the h fears him, (apparently his OW pointed it out.) He seems to figure out that, yep if a woman is fighting you off and saying no, it isn't true love. The h starts to cry and the H says he has never seen her cry (forgetting every time they had sex I suppose, or maybe he just did not care to notice.) He apologizes, insists that all of his bullying, blackmail and imprisonments were just because he loved her and the h decides to tell him she loves him back and HEA.
The h's pain and angst are very intense. I was kinda hoping she would get a divorce and therapy and maybe move to Tahiti to get away from these people. The repeated forced sex scenes were not only traumatizing to her, but to me too - I went through a ton of cookies and Captain on this one.
I think too many lose ends were left at the end to make his behavior believable as a wildly jealous and in love Alpha though. I really did not see any love from him and the OW was never resolved, nor where the H was at night when the OW was staying with them.
Sophie tries to put it all on the cousin's meddling cause he had a crush on the H's OW, but the H had info that could only have come from the OW and so his fidelity and sincerity are really suspect. The OM scenario is just bizarre and really was an awkward plot device. The cousin was a dangling thread too, so much of his behavior was contradictory, it was hard to figure out what Sophie was trying to do with him. He seemed to genuinely care about the h at times and at others, acted like a two year old who lost his wubby.
I was more than half worried that the H really was just waiting for her to confess her love and then he was going to abuse her more, there just wasn't enough of his dialog or any of his pov to convince me otherwise.
I don't even want to speculate on how horrible he probably acted the day after the supposed HEA. This man was pretty merciless and indifferent to the h's obvious pain. He did not even know she cried every time they had sex. I found myself hoping he and the OW would go horse ridding together and fall off a cliff, but sadly that did not happen.
Unfortunately, the Aliens are NOT friends with Sophie W., so no magical mind transplant occurred either and we are stuck with an unsatisfactory ending to a whole ton of angsty drama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2019
She should have read Harlequin novels to avoid meaningless pain.
March 10, 2017
Five stars for an intense dramatic story that never let up until the last page. I was as taunt and nervy as the heroine at the end. 1 star for rape and subsequent forced seductions as the obsessed hero tried to make the heroine his after forcing her to marry him to save her uncle's glass-making business. The heroine is an educated, competent business woman and that was a red flag to this bull of a hero.
There are other unsavory characters such as the OW who tries to make the h jealous, the heroine's first boyfriend who also tried to rape her, her greedy, graceless aunt and uncle, and her slimeball cousin who sold company secrets to the newspapers and tried to fill the heroine's head with lies about the H. No wonder the girl was a nervous wreck and decided to give into Stockholm syndrome and fall in love with her tormentor rather than seek sanity on some far distant shores.
Oddly enough, I didn't hate the hero after all of his transgressions and that makes it even more disturbing to read.
Read this one if you're in the mood for trainwreak. (See Boogenhagen's excellent review with more spoilers).
There are other unsavory characters such as the OW who tries to make the h jealous, the heroine's first boyfriend who also tried to rape her, her greedy, graceless aunt and uncle, and her slimeball cousin who sold company secrets to the newspapers and tried to fill the heroine's head with lies about the H. No wonder the girl was a nervous wreck and decided to give into Stockholm syndrome and fall in love with her tormentor rather than seek sanity on some far distant shores.
Oddly enough, I didn't hate the hero after all of his transgressions and that makes it even more disturbing to read.
Read this one if you're in the mood for trainwreak. (See Boogenhagen's excellent review with more spoilers).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2020
Meh--TSTL heroine with a bad case of uncontrollable hero hots up against (literally and figuratively) a French tycoon who's smitten but a jerk nonetheless. Typical MoC-to-save-family-business trope, with a bitter heroine whose past Bad Experience has made her emotionally and physically withdrawn until she meets the hero. She wants a platonic MoC, but the hero says hell no to that, and rapey relations ensue (despite her OTT treacherous body syndrome, the heroine is genuinely distressed that the hero doesn't take no for an answer, and he seems utterly surprised by this, jeez, come on). I didn't have much liking or sympathy for the heroine or the hero, and while I think SW did make it clear that he was smitten from the beginning, he was just too much of an asshat and the heroine was just too spineless, so both of them can go whistle their HEA, I didn't buy it. Also, terrible title, since the fact that she was an "executive lady" had very little bearing on the book (everyone agreed she was good at the job, so wasn't a plot element really). Meh, but angsty enough that I haven't quite written off SW.
August 28, 2012
Although I did enjoy the novel, it is way too similar to another novel. I can't think of the name of it right now but it was pretty close to the same storyline. Now I'll be searching all my novels to find the other one for reference, eventually. I felt emotionally connected to the heroine, she was dragged into an unfortunate situation which was eventually made better. At the same time, what the hero did in the book was vicious and malicious and just because you love someone, it doesn't mean it's not rape. That was the disgusting part, the heroine condoned what the hero did to her and accepted that it was alright. What utter foolishness.
February 27, 2020
Phillipa's uncle, who had taken her in after the death of her parents, was in great trouble. In order to save his beloved company, he has to accept a merger with Raoul De Marin's company. Unfortunately, her irresponsible cousin, Rupert, made a fatal mistake that jeopardized everything they worked for. In order for everything to go smoothly again now, Phillipa has to marry Raoul! The shock of the situation that she found herself in didn't as much as settled in her mind before she found herself actually married to Raoul! All her life, she thought herself frigid, especially after her first love betrayed her, but Raoul frightened and attracted her. She is terrified of him and his calculated domination and of her losing her true self by surrendering to him so she decided to fight him. Not that Raoul allowed her to, though!!
It's a typical plot where the hero forces the heroine to marry him. I honestly gave it three stars for the excellent writing, but there were things that bothered me in the hero. The main thing was he didn't once listen to the heroine's pleas to stop and consider her feelings which made what he did to her all the more like rape than love making. The other thing was when he understood she was frightened of him because she was once almost raped and yet he continued to use his twisted threatening ways with her. Love is a deep regard for the other one's feelings and not a crave for the flesh only!
It's a typical plot where the hero forces the heroine to marry him. I honestly gave it three stars for the excellent writing, but there were things that bothered me in the hero. The main thing was he didn't once listen to the heroine's pleas to stop and consider her feelings which made what he did to her all the more like rape than love making. The other thing was when he understood she was frightened of him because she was once almost raped and yet he continued to use his twisted threatening ways with her. Love is a deep regard for the other one's feelings and not a crave for the flesh only!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2020
Philippa knew that her marriage with Raoul, Comte de Martin, was a contract of industrial convenience, and that he felt nothing for her. As she felt nothing for him. Why then was she uneasy in his presence?
No marriage, no merger!
The merger of Vivian Glass with Raoul de Martin's powerful French conglomerate was essential. Philippa knew she couldn't afford to offend him.
But she positively prickled every time Raoul came near her. Here was a man who despised easy flattery, yet seemed compelled to quash the resistance of anyone refusing homage to his potent magnetism.
Raoul was witty, sophisticated, charming--and profoundly cold! How else could he propose marriage in a bid calculated to restore declining investor confidence? And how could she refuse?
No marriage, no merger!
The merger of Vivian Glass with Raoul de Martin's powerful French conglomerate was essential. Philippa knew she couldn't afford to offend him.
But she positively prickled every time Raoul came near her. Here was a man who despised easy flattery, yet seemed compelled to quash the resistance of anyone refusing homage to his potent magnetism.
Raoul was witty, sophisticated, charming--and profoundly cold! How else could he propose marriage in a bid calculated to restore declining investor confidence? And how could she refuse?
September 27, 2020
Thoroughly unlikable hero who seemed to care not a whit about her mental or emotional well-being. He was all too ready to believe whatever he was told about her, making random judgments about her without bothering to talk to her or get her point of view. He seemed to care only about what he wanted from her and rode roughshod over her wishes or needs repeatedly. He even told her he would play every dirty game in the book to get her to stay in the marriage! Why couldn't he say he wanted to talk to her and work on their marriage, instead of telling her that she was the one causing all the problems? He was free with insults, manipulative tactics and all the rest of it, but never once did he do anything to show he cared about her. Plus, there was an OW, and he never fully explained that scenario.
I really don't know how or why she started loving the inconsiderate bully, or how she expected their life together to be any better than what she had endured in the past from her manipulative relatives. Worse, she forgave all too easily and even took all the unreasonable blamed he piled upon her!
I've read and admired other books from this author, but this one was really terrible.
I really don't know how or why she started loving the inconsiderate bully, or how she expected their life together to be any better than what she had endured in the past from her manipulative relatives. Worse, she forgave all too easily and even took all the unreasonable blamed he piled upon her!
I've read and admired other books from this author, but this one was really terrible.
September 11, 2022
Με το ζόρι νύφη", Sophie Weston, Συλλογή 673.
ΠΟΛΥ ΩΡΑΙΟ!!! Είναι η πρώτη ιστορία που διάβασα από την συγκεκριμένη συγγραφέα και μου άρεσε παρά πολύ!!! Ιδιαίτερη αναφορά θα πρέπει να γίνει στην πολύ καλή μετάφραση, από την Καίτη Οικονόμου!!!
ΠΟΛΥ ΩΡΑΙΟ!!! Είναι η πρώτη ιστορία που διάβασα από την συγκεκριμένη συγγραφέα και μου άρεσε παρά πολύ!!! Ιδιαίτερη αναφορά θα πρέπει να γίνει στην πολύ καλή μετάφραση, από την Καίτη Οικονόμου!!!
June 23, 2024
This is not a romance. Intense, yes, but many loose ends, an unbelievable HEA, a H who confuses want/dominate/control with love. Nope.
Most SW romances are 4-5 stars, this one is probably better than 2 stars if you don’t expect kindness, caring, trust, respect, liking from someone who claims to love you. Otherwise, as a love story it is a bust.
Author’s books usually resonate with me. This one does not. We are supposed to believe H has been “sick with love” and his eyes were “warm and loving “ yet he just spent 183 pages and about 6 months without showing any love. Further he’s convinced, based on h’s aunt’s malice, that h loves OM when she has far more sense.
Most SW romances are 4-5 stars, this one is probably better than 2 stars if you don’t expect kindness, caring, trust, respect, liking from someone who claims to love you. Otherwise, as a love story it is a bust.
Author’s books usually resonate with me. This one does not. We are supposed to believe H has been “sick with love” and his eyes were “warm and loving “ yet he just spent 183 pages and about 6 months without showing any love. Further he’s convinced, based on h’s aunt’s malice, that h loves OM when she has far more sense.
December 17, 2020
Dull, but wow evil family, avoid those jerks forever. Felt bad for the heroine, she never had time to love the hero or even thaw out. Skip.
September 4, 2024
It could have been a good story (one of those marriages of convenience that become much more), especially if they had concentrated more on the glassworks industry the H and h's families were so proud of and had them working together at the start of their stormy marriage, or had her botanical artwork developed into more than a hobby, or had that artist gotten to paint her portrait, or had she been pregnant, like the H thought, or several other things.
Instead, we get the most ridiculous misunderstanding, where the h actually thinks the H wants to pimp her out to another man so he can more easily continue his affair with his ex-girlfriend. And where did this idea come from? The ex, of course, the spoiled socialite who thinks she's god's gift to both men and the business world, when she's really the perfect gift for a toilet!
And so is her piece of crap brother, who was the h's ex and once tried to rape her, then had the nerve to confront her a few years later at a barbecue, put his arm around her, and tell her he knows she still wants him! (WTF!!!!!) Since seeing him again made her feel sick, I was hoping she'd throw up all over him, but no such luck!
Anyway, that sill misunderstanding causes her to leave and him to let her go without insisting she tell him why she's so upset, and it's weeks before they have a confrontation, meantime she avoids her family in case they invite him over, refuses calls, etc. and it got too ridiculous, because of course she's crazy about the guy but thinks he only wants her body.
For his part, he went overboard in letting her know how much he wanted her but neglected the finer emotions since he never told her what was in his heart, since her (somewhat ridiculous) aunt led him to believe that the h was in love with the aunt's son, her FIRST COUSIN!!! Since I don't recall any mention of anyone being adopted, that amounts to incestuous feelings, almost as bad as falling for your half-brother! And the H, knowing Aunty could be a little high strung and dramatic, never questioned this??? COME ON!!!!!
Even worse, when the h tries to explain her hesitation about getting married and sleeping with him, telling him about nearly getting raped, he tells her she's being childish!!! (WHAT????) Of course, we end up with a forced seduction type thing, with him apologizing and saying she should have told him she was a virgin (he's right about that) and after that sex seems to be used as a power game between them, with her surrendering like a martyr and him both gloating and being resentful.
So much wasted time, and then the reconciliation is rushed and seems forced and artificial.
It's no great loss if you skip this one.
Instead, we get the most ridiculous misunderstanding, where the h actually thinks the H wants to pimp her out to another man so he can more easily continue his affair with his ex-girlfriend. And where did this idea come from? The ex, of course, the spoiled socialite who thinks she's god's gift to both men and the business world, when she's really the perfect gift for a toilet!
And so is her piece of crap brother, who was the h's ex and once tried to rape her, then had the nerve to confront her a few years later at a barbecue, put his arm around her, and tell her he knows she still wants him! (WTF!!!!!) Since seeing him again made her feel sick, I was hoping she'd throw up all over him, but no such luck!
Anyway, that sill misunderstanding causes her to leave and him to let her go without insisting she tell him why she's so upset, and it's weeks before they have a confrontation, meantime she avoids her family in case they invite him over, refuses calls, etc. and it got too ridiculous, because of course she's crazy about the guy but thinks he only wants her body.
For his part, he went overboard in letting her know how much he wanted her but neglected the finer emotions since he never told her what was in his heart, since her (somewhat ridiculous) aunt led him to believe that the h was in love with the aunt's son, her FIRST COUSIN!!! Since I don't recall any mention of anyone being adopted, that amounts to incestuous feelings, almost as bad as falling for your half-brother! And the H, knowing Aunty could be a little high strung and dramatic, never questioned this??? COME ON!!!!!
Even worse, when the h tries to explain her hesitation about getting married and sleeping with him, telling him about nearly getting raped, he tells her she's being childish!!! (WHAT????) Of course, we end up with a forced seduction type thing, with him apologizing and saying she should have told him she was a virgin (he's right about that) and after that sex seems to be used as a power game between them, with her surrendering like a martyr and him both gloating and being resentful.
So much wasted time, and then the reconciliation is rushed and seems forced and artificial.
It's no great loss if you skip this one.
May 5, 2024
"Executive Lady" is the story of Phillipa and Raoul.
This book will drive you mad with frustration.
Businesswoman heroine works for her uncle's company, and handles basically everything. Hero is her nemesis, and an acquaintance from a rival company. She is basically sold into a marriage by her uncle, and despite ALL her protests, whisked away to a remote countryside.
There the heroine is isolated, depressed, suffers , develops stockholm syndrome, is treated abysmally by the hero until the end where she fights back and escapes.
Also literally everyone around her is shit escape the domestic staff.
Anyways, even at the end she surrenders. No apology.
Made me tear up because I wanted her to win atleast one argument. The whole book she loses weight, her consent is ignored and she is treated like a outcast- and she gets NOTHING?
Made me so mad
Safe
2.5/5
This book will drive you mad with frustration.
Businesswoman heroine works for her uncle's company, and handles basically everything. Hero is her nemesis, and an acquaintance from a rival company. She is basically sold into a marriage by her uncle, and despite ALL her protests, whisked away to a remote countryside.
There the heroine is isolated, depressed, suffers , develops stockholm syndrome, is treated abysmally by the hero until the end where she fights back and escapes.
Also literally everyone around her is shit escape the domestic staff.
Anyways, even at the end she surrenders. No apology.
Made me tear up because I wanted her to win atleast one argument. The whole book she loses weight, her consent is ignored and she is treated like a outcast- and she gets NOTHING?
Made me so mad
Safe
2.5/5
April 7, 2022
- “Intelligent women are always the most stupid.”-
Says the H.
She must be the most intelligent woman ever then.
Says the H.
She must be the most intelligent woman ever then.
March 25, 2023
This is just plain awful. The h deserves so much better than the H.
Want to read
September 20, 2024The one you don’t want to read because the batshit crazy angst isn’t just worth it.
Read
December 2, 2024Imagina um H horrível que merecia morrer... Pensou? tá aqui.
December 5, 2017
Raoul, il protagonista, è quanto di più noioso, subdolo, antipatico e arrogante personaggio maschile abbia mai incontrato in un romanzo. E già questo sarebbe sufficiente. Se non fosse, poi, che Sophie abbonda di punti esclamativi come un’esordiente, non facendo altro che peggiorare la situazione. Lei, poi, è una smidollata senza volontà che pur detestandolo si lascia circuire come fosse niente. Bocciatissimo.
Read
July 1, 2018No marriage, no merger!
The merger of Vivian Glass with Raoul de Martin's powerful French conglomerate was essential. Philippa knew she couldn't afford to offend him.
But she positively prickled every time Raoul came near her. Here was a man who despised easy flattery, yet seemed compelled to quash the resistance of anyone refusing homage to his potent magnetism.
Raoul was witty, sophisticated, charming--and profoundly cold! How else could he propose marriage in a bid calculated to restore declining investor confidence? And how could she refuse?
The merger of Vivian Glass with Raoul de Martin's powerful French conglomerate was essential. Philippa knew she couldn't afford to offend him.
But she positively prickled every time Raoul came near her. Here was a man who despised easy flattery, yet seemed compelled to quash the resistance of anyone refusing homage to his potent magnetism.
Raoul was witty, sophisticated, charming--and profoundly cold! How else could he propose marriage in a bid calculated to restore declining investor confidence? And how could she refuse?
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