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McLean-Carstairs #2
Mistress of Deception
Mistress Of Deception by Miranda Lee released on Dec 25, 1995 is available now for purchase.
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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98 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Lee
815 books235 followersMaureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 4, 2018
Re Mistress of Deception - Miranda Lee brings us another cultically whactastic book that is the sequel to her 1993 HP Outback Man.
This one involves the booted fiance of OBM as the seriously whacked 34 yr old H of this one. The h is his ward who has been in love with him since she was 15 and is now a 22 yr old Australian supermodel.
The h and H have ostensibly been on the outs since she was 18 and found out that he had been supporting her after her parents died, in repayment of her formerly wealthy father giving the H a loan when his family firm was in jeopardy years earlier.
When the h found out her parent's left her very little, she moved out his house, found a modeling contract and has been steadily climbing the supermodel ranks ever since. Or so the H's slightly pimp out meddling mama believes.
What really happened was that the h declared her love for the H at 18 and kissed him. He responded and then proceeded to berate her as the Tarty Tramp of Western Australia. The h did not want to live in his house after that and so she moved out and moved on with supporting herself.
The h's looks and her profession lead to all sorts of gossip that she is having multiple affairs. The H laps up all this rumor and takes as gospel truth the innuendos from a variety of men, (who haven't been invited to the h's buffet and are therefore worse than gossiping women,) about how the h is all about getting the biggest bang in multiple ways, with any man who offers.
The H has been pumping and dumping her in seekrit for over a year when the book starts. In typical HP fashion, tho very atypical for ML, he blames the h for his obsession with her. He goes to great lengths to hide his involvement with the h, especially from his mother, who looks upon the h as her daughter.
Apparently seeing her at her 18th birthday party in a white lace dress and high heels was her deliberately enticing him to forcibly seduce a drunken girl when she turns 21. When she goes skinny dipping at midnight in a private pool and he tries out every position he could think of the whole night, before kicking her out the next morning.
Since the h isn't a unicorn-petter, she had a brief moment with a dear friend who was also her photographer at a low moment, the H takes her lack of unicorn companions and her enthusiasm in bed as proof that she is really is the Jezebel of High Fashion.
In the H's mind she is a Wicked Delilah of all that is unholy and lustful and it is up to HIM, the most virtuous man in all of Sydney, to punish her for her misdeeds. First by having angry piking moments in a variety of Karma Sutra positions, the more esoteric the better, and then firmly berating and degrading her for tormenting him with her succubus ways.
The h, for all her newly found worldly experience and acumen, is still only 22 and still a bit immature with it. So in her backlash against the H's completely misogynistic and hypocritical Madonna/Whore syndrome, she goes out of her way to make the H believe that she is indeed more open than a 24 hour deli and reinforces his tart shaming view of her every chance she gets.
The h really does want to be more than a booty call in the middle of the night and tries a few times to get the H to leave her alone. She pays him back for all the money he spent for her care while growing up and even thinks about actually marrying her dear friend photographer.
It isn't the great love of the century with her friend, but at least they have a true friendship and the photographer doesn't have the alarm set on his Rolex to eviscerate her verbally on the hour every waking hour and sometimes in the middle of sleeping too.
The H is too possessive and too caught up in his wash, rinse, repeat cycle of pump, berate and dump to allow the h to move on from him. If she won't comply willingly, he will forcibly seduce her anyway and the h is forced by ML to be unable to say no.
(Which is a big problem with this book. The h is not a doormat, but ML continually has her unable to resist a forced seduction. And yes, in my POV it is a forced seduction practically every time the H and h have one of their little seekrit meet ups.
He is insulting, then sorta nice, she says no, he says yes, roofie kisses and groping ensue and the h gives up as he is manhandling her to nearest available surface. He actually enjoys it and there are several instances in the book when he fondly reflects upon how he forced her to his will. )
Finally it all comes to a big blow up when the H's meddling mother arranges to invite the h over for dinner and lies that the H won't be there. The H takes it as his chance to humiliate his booty call even more.
When his mother is distracted later that night by the arrival of the H's distressed sister, the H takes the opportunity to get even with the h's ignoring him all night. He tries to seduce her during a verbal beratement, then slaps her when she starts crying because of his verbal abuse, then they wind up in bed.
His meddling mother walks in on them and continuing on with this Typhoon of Utter and Complete Tackiness, the H goes off about what a tramp she is to his mother. The h actually has a lot of class as she dresses herself, thanks the woman for dinner and walks out.
Then we get a brief mention of the H's former fiancee, who is the h in Outback Man and dumped the H for the other guy, when his mother assumes that the H is using the h and is still in love with the other woman he asked to marry him during their earlier three year affair.
The H claims that he never loved his ex fiancee, he only was with her to bury his lust for the h and then he continues on with telling his mother all about what a tart the h is. The H's mother doesn't believe him and accuses him of preying on a young girl's hero worship and devotion.
The H storms off over to the h's flat, but for once she won't let him in and he is forced to sit in the car and fume over what a tart she is and how is cheating ex was a much better woman morally than the h is.
Then he realizes that the h is seriously not interested in being his bit in the dark corner anymore, so he decides to try and woo her. There is a reunion of sorts where the h pours out how in love she is with him and he decides that she has always been too young to know what she feels.
The H also decides that her 'rampant' sexuality is the result of her father being a notorious womanizer and the h is just following his poor parenting example. When he questions the h over her childhood, he is shocked to find her mother ignored her in favor of being obsessed over the h's father and the h was well aware of her father's continuous cheating and withdrew into herself because of it.
So then the H decides that the h was so love starved as a child, she has to have any type of affection, but especially sexual, from any man to compensate. In spite of the h clearly explaining that she fell in love with him, has stayed in love with him and only slept with her dear friend, the photographer, because the H totally gave her the 'cut direct' when he saw her on her 20th birthday.
(I found the H's hypocrisy here to be a little much. For all his intense deconstruction of the h's motivations, he consistently refuses to look at his own. ML goes out of her way to point out the H's acts of kindness, in an attempt to make him likable.
It pretty much backfires, because ML describes the H as seeing two chicken farmers who were going bankrupt on a news show and the H rescues them by offering them positions as his housekeeper/cook and his handyman/gardener. Which is magnanimous I guess, but why didn't he just save their beloved chicken farm and help them to manage it better?
We are also told how he took over the failing family firm at a young age and saved his mother from financial destitution, then how he always gives his sister, who has shacked up with more men than he has fingers to count on, any type of financial support she needs and he NEVER calls her a tart or a tramp.
Even his fiancee from the prior book was in a relationship with him primarily because he was one of her suppliers in her boutique business and they became friends when he sold things via her stores and they were both lonely.
So what we see in this H is a habitual pattern of only being kind to people that he feels owes him gratitude. He isn't capable of sustaining any relationship than is based on equal footing, which is one of the reasons he is so furious over the h paying him back for all of her expenses. He is losing control of a supplicant and he doesn't like it, so of course the only thing left to him is to control her via sex she isn't allowed to say no to.)
Anyhows, the H claims he loves the h and they are going to try sex free dating and then get married. The h starts feeling ashamed of herself for modeling, (mainly cause the H is all about tart shaming what she wears and says she invites nasty comments,) she decides she wants babies and to be a nursery school teacher instead.
The h had planned to take off to France with her photographer friend and now has to cancel because she thinks the H is serious this time around. So she goes to dinner with her photographer friend while the H lies and claims he has a business dinner of his own, but is really going to meet the h from the first book.
The h from Outback Man comments that she saw the h going up to a room in her hotel and the H loses his mind. The next day the h and H are to have a weekend getaway on his boat and he pretty much forces her into on-deck lurve clubbings over the boat rail and accuses her of sleeping with her photographer friend. The h freaks out, pushes him off and dives overboard.
The H has to chase her down and she cuts her foot and then passes out from all the blood when he gets her back on deck. It is the H's turn to freak out and then the explanations begin. The h reiterates her long time love for him, AGAIN. The H admits that he was with his ex the night before and the h berates him for being a lying, two faced sorry nematode.
The H then admits that he never loved his ex, he only used her to hide his feelings about the h and that really he was 'protecting' the h from his lust. So the h forgives all and they start planning the wedding.
The H's mother is delirious with joy and happy that the h is a 'sensual French girl', cause she suspects her son is a bit of a prude about sex and we leave these two and the H's mother in a very dubious HEA.
I don't what ML was thinking when she wrote this one. Prior to this HP outing, ML was all about young ladies owning their sexuality and even if they were virgins, dressing seductively and getting their groove on was their right. If they weren't virgins, that was fine too, women have a sex drive and there is no point in being coy about it.
So why spend 75% of a book engaging in the most vicious tart shaming since the last Lilian Peake book? Why have the h unable to say NO to a man who is really only intent on using her? Why decimate the h's character and refuse to chastise the H for his obviously whacked out thinking at all?
I just did not get this book. Even worse, despite fifty two positions and a boat rail, I was utterly bored. I did not care about any of the characters. They were generic and cardboard and I really wasn't interested in the H's lengthy list of euphemisms for a woman he considered a skanky tart, mainly cause I have better euphemisms of my own.
However, while I was obviously not feeling the lurve on this one, a lot of others do. So as always mileage varies and this could be just your cuppa for a little HPlandia outing.
This one involves the booted fiance of OBM as the seriously whacked 34 yr old H of this one. The h is his ward who has been in love with him since she was 15 and is now a 22 yr old Australian supermodel.
The h and H have ostensibly been on the outs since she was 18 and found out that he had been supporting her after her parents died, in repayment of her formerly wealthy father giving the H a loan when his family firm was in jeopardy years earlier.
When the h found out her parent's left her very little, she moved out his house, found a modeling contract and has been steadily climbing the supermodel ranks ever since. Or so the H's slightly pimp out meddling mama believes.
What really happened was that the h declared her love for the H at 18 and kissed him. He responded and then proceeded to berate her as the Tarty Tramp of Western Australia. The h did not want to live in his house after that and so she moved out and moved on with supporting herself.
The h's looks and her profession lead to all sorts of gossip that she is having multiple affairs. The H laps up all this rumor and takes as gospel truth the innuendos from a variety of men, (who haven't been invited to the h's buffet and are therefore worse than gossiping women,) about how the h is all about getting the biggest bang in multiple ways, with any man who offers.
The H has been pumping and dumping her in seekrit for over a year when the book starts. In typical HP fashion, tho very atypical for ML, he blames the h for his obsession with her. He goes to great lengths to hide his involvement with the h, especially from his mother, who looks upon the h as her daughter.
Apparently seeing her at her 18th birthday party in a white lace dress and high heels was her deliberately enticing him to forcibly seduce a drunken girl when she turns 21. When she goes skinny dipping at midnight in a private pool and he tries out every position he could think of the whole night, before kicking her out the next morning.
Since the h isn't a unicorn-petter, she had a brief moment with a dear friend who was also her photographer at a low moment, the H takes her lack of unicorn companions and her enthusiasm in bed as proof that she is really is the Jezebel of High Fashion.
In the H's mind she is a Wicked Delilah of all that is unholy and lustful and it is up to HIM, the most virtuous man in all of Sydney, to punish her for her misdeeds. First by having angry piking moments in a variety of Karma Sutra positions, the more esoteric the better, and then firmly berating and degrading her for tormenting him with her succubus ways.
The h, for all her newly found worldly experience and acumen, is still only 22 and still a bit immature with it. So in her backlash against the H's completely misogynistic and hypocritical Madonna/Whore syndrome, she goes out of her way to make the H believe that she is indeed more open than a 24 hour deli and reinforces his tart shaming view of her every chance she gets.
The h really does want to be more than a booty call in the middle of the night and tries a few times to get the H to leave her alone. She pays him back for all the money he spent for her care while growing up and even thinks about actually marrying her dear friend photographer.
It isn't the great love of the century with her friend, but at least they have a true friendship and the photographer doesn't have the alarm set on his Rolex to eviscerate her verbally on the hour every waking hour and sometimes in the middle of sleeping too.
The H is too possessive and too caught up in his wash, rinse, repeat cycle of pump, berate and dump to allow the h to move on from him. If she won't comply willingly, he will forcibly seduce her anyway and the h is forced by ML to be unable to say no.
(Which is a big problem with this book. The h is not a doormat, but ML continually has her unable to resist a forced seduction. And yes, in my POV it is a forced seduction practically every time the H and h have one of their little seekrit meet ups.
He is insulting, then sorta nice, she says no, he says yes, roofie kisses and groping ensue and the h gives up as he is manhandling her to nearest available surface. He actually enjoys it and there are several instances in the book when he fondly reflects upon how he forced her to his will. )
Finally it all comes to a big blow up when the H's meddling mother arranges to invite the h over for dinner and lies that the H won't be there. The H takes it as his chance to humiliate his booty call even more.
When his mother is distracted later that night by the arrival of the H's distressed sister, the H takes the opportunity to get even with the h's ignoring him all night. He tries to seduce her during a verbal beratement, then slaps her when she starts crying because of his verbal abuse, then they wind up in bed.
His meddling mother walks in on them and continuing on with this Typhoon of Utter and Complete Tackiness, the H goes off about what a tramp she is to his mother. The h actually has a lot of class as she dresses herself, thanks the woman for dinner and walks out.
Then we get a brief mention of the H's former fiancee, who is the h in Outback Man and dumped the H for the other guy, when his mother assumes that the H is using the h and is still in love with the other woman he asked to marry him during their earlier three year affair.
The H claims that he never loved his ex fiancee, he only was with her to bury his lust for the h and then he continues on with telling his mother all about what a tart the h is. The H's mother doesn't believe him and accuses him of preying on a young girl's hero worship and devotion.
The H storms off over to the h's flat, but for once she won't let him in and he is forced to sit in the car and fume over what a tart she is and how is cheating ex was a much better woman morally than the h is.
Then he realizes that the h is seriously not interested in being his bit in the dark corner anymore, so he decides to try and woo her. There is a reunion of sorts where the h pours out how in love she is with him and he decides that she has always been too young to know what she feels.
The H also decides that her 'rampant' sexuality is the result of her father being a notorious womanizer and the h is just following his poor parenting example. When he questions the h over her childhood, he is shocked to find her mother ignored her in favor of being obsessed over the h's father and the h was well aware of her father's continuous cheating and withdrew into herself because of it.
So then the H decides that the h was so love starved as a child, she has to have any type of affection, but especially sexual, from any man to compensate. In spite of the h clearly explaining that she fell in love with him, has stayed in love with him and only slept with her dear friend, the photographer, because the H totally gave her the 'cut direct' when he saw her on her 20th birthday.
(I found the H's hypocrisy here to be a little much. For all his intense deconstruction of the h's motivations, he consistently refuses to look at his own. ML goes out of her way to point out the H's acts of kindness, in an attempt to make him likable.
It pretty much backfires, because ML describes the H as seeing two chicken farmers who were going bankrupt on a news show and the H rescues them by offering them positions as his housekeeper/cook and his handyman/gardener. Which is magnanimous I guess, but why didn't he just save their beloved chicken farm and help them to manage it better?
We are also told how he took over the failing family firm at a young age and saved his mother from financial destitution, then how he always gives his sister, who has shacked up with more men than he has fingers to count on, any type of financial support she needs and he NEVER calls her a tart or a tramp.
Even his fiancee from the prior book was in a relationship with him primarily because he was one of her suppliers in her boutique business and they became friends when he sold things via her stores and they were both lonely.
So what we see in this H is a habitual pattern of only being kind to people that he feels owes him gratitude. He isn't capable of sustaining any relationship than is based on equal footing, which is one of the reasons he is so furious over the h paying him back for all of her expenses. He is losing control of a supplicant and he doesn't like it, so of course the only thing left to him is to control her via sex she isn't allowed to say no to.)
Anyhows, the H claims he loves the h and they are going to try sex free dating and then get married. The h starts feeling ashamed of herself for modeling, (mainly cause the H is all about tart shaming what she wears and says she invites nasty comments,) she decides she wants babies and to be a nursery school teacher instead.
The h had planned to take off to France with her photographer friend and now has to cancel because she thinks the H is serious this time around. So she goes to dinner with her photographer friend while the H lies and claims he has a business dinner of his own, but is really going to meet the h from the first book.
The h from Outback Man comments that she saw the h going up to a room in her hotel and the H loses his mind. The next day the h and H are to have a weekend getaway on his boat and he pretty much forces her into on-deck lurve clubbings over the boat rail and accuses her of sleeping with her photographer friend. The h freaks out, pushes him off and dives overboard.
The H has to chase her down and she cuts her foot and then passes out from all the blood when he gets her back on deck. It is the H's turn to freak out and then the explanations begin. The h reiterates her long time love for him, AGAIN. The H admits that he was with his ex the night before and the h berates him for being a lying, two faced sorry nematode.
The H then admits that he never loved his ex, he only used her to hide his feelings about the h and that really he was 'protecting' the h from his lust. So the h forgives all and they start planning the wedding.
The H's mother is delirious with joy and happy that the h is a 'sensual French girl', cause she suspects her son is a bit of a prude about sex and we leave these two and the H's mother in a very dubious HEA.
I don't what ML was thinking when she wrote this one. Prior to this HP outing, ML was all about young ladies owning their sexuality and even if they were virgins, dressing seductively and getting their groove on was their right. If they weren't virgins, that was fine too, women have a sex drive and there is no point in being coy about it.
So why spend 75% of a book engaging in the most vicious tart shaming since the last Lilian Peake book? Why have the h unable to say NO to a man who is really only intent on using her? Why decimate the h's character and refuse to chastise the H for his obviously whacked out thinking at all?
I just did not get this book. Even worse, despite fifty two positions and a boat rail, I was utterly bored. I did not care about any of the characters. They were generic and cardboard and I really wasn't interested in the H's lengthy list of euphemisms for a woman he considered a skanky tart, mainly cause I have better euphemisms of my own.
However, while I was obviously not feeling the lurve on this one, a lot of others do. So as always mileage varies and this could be just your cuppa for a little HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2019
3.5 stars
The hero's name kind of threw me off for a minute. Sorry "Alan" lovers, but it isn't a name I associate with the typical, hunk-of-burning-love HP hero. (Turns out Alan featured as the other man in the prequel book Outback Man which explains the anomaly, to me at least.) What IS typical is how Alan initially treats his lover and former ward, Ebony, who is twelve years his junior.
An intense, but not very romantic read exploring the toxic side of love.
The hero's name kind of threw me off for a minute. Sorry "Alan" lovers, but it isn't a name I associate with the typical, hunk-of-burning-love HP hero. (Turns out Alan featured as the other man in the prequel book Outback Man which explains the anomaly, to me at least.) What IS typical is how Alan initially treats his lover and former ward, Ebony, who is twelve years his junior.
An intense, but not very romantic read exploring the toxic side of love.
July 18, 2022
This was angsty for a ML.
The hero has an affair with the heroine.
She grew up with him because his mother took care of her since she was a teenager and her parents died.
She was in love with the hero forever but since he was older he tried nota to give in.
He also had a girlfriend to avoid thinking of the heroine but became obsessed with her.
After the rejection the heroine became cold and ignored the hero.
She became a model and had a boyfriend, her photographer.
She and the hero had sex when she was 21 and have had an affair for two years, but he asked her to keep it secret because he doesn’t want his mother to know.
He thinks she’s a ho and sex crazed, she play the part because she doesn’t want him to find out she loves him.
All the angst is because they are in love but think the other isn’t.
Thank god his mother tells him that obviously the heroine loves him, and so now he wants to marry her. At once. Now. No, better Yesterday.
But again, he thinks she’s a nympho and makes another mistake.
Eventually all is well, until he will se her talking to another man and will think she’s got an affair with him.
Because there’s no trust between them.
Both characters are not good, but the story is angsty and both are obsessed with the other, a real mix of hate and love with a hint of anger and contempt that makes this book an interesting reading.
The hero has an affair with the heroine.
She grew up with him because his mother took care of her since she was a teenager and her parents died.
She was in love with the hero forever but since he was older he tried nota to give in.
He also had a girlfriend to avoid thinking of the heroine but became obsessed with her.
After the rejection the heroine became cold and ignored the hero.
She became a model and had a boyfriend, her photographer.
She and the hero had sex when she was 21 and have had an affair for two years, but he asked her to keep it secret because he doesn’t want his mother to know.
He thinks she’s a ho and sex crazed, she play the part because she doesn’t want him to find out she loves him.
All the angst is because they are in love but think the other isn’t.
Thank god his mother tells him that obviously the heroine loves him, and so now he wants to marry her. At once. Now. No, better Yesterday.
But again, he thinks she’s a nympho and makes another mistake.
Eventually all is well, until he will se her talking to another man and will think she’s got an affair with him.
Because there’s no trust between them.
Both characters are not good, but the story is angsty and both are obsessed with the other, a real mix of hate and love with a hint of anger and contempt that makes this book an interesting reading.
December 15, 2021
Reread 2021
Always liked this for the toxic relationship trainwreck. They were both insane..hated each other passionately, so I bet it will drive some readers crazy.😂😂
Safe
Med angst
The h not a virgin.
-H thought h cheated on him, and might continue to cheat because he thought she was a nympho 😂, and yet he was still willing to stay with her, marry her, because he couldn’t live with out her. His love was unconditional. . If the h had done such a thing, I would’ve called her a spineless doormat and DNF the book😂, but I am totally fine with the H loving a h this much. Double standards but I don’t care.🤷🏻♀️
If you know any other toxic/dysfunctional romance (without actual cheating on each other, misunderstanding is ok), please let me know below!
Always liked this for the toxic relationship trainwreck. They were both insane..hated each other passionately, so I bet it will drive some readers crazy.😂😂
Safe
Med angst
The h not a virgin.
-H thought h cheated on him, and might continue to cheat because he thought she was a nympho 😂, and yet he was still willing to stay with her, marry her, because he couldn’t live with out her. His love was unconditional. . If the h had done such a thing, I would’ve called her a spineless doormat and DNF the book😂, but I am totally fine with the H loving a h this much. Double standards but I don’t care.🤷🏻♀️
If you know any other toxic/dysfunctional romance (without actual cheating on each other, misunderstanding is ok), please let me know below!
May 24, 2010
This is the spinoff of Outback Man. Alan was the ousted fiancee in that book and it was obvious that he was obsessed with his ward, Ebony, even then.
MOD occurs approximately 4 years after Outback Man. Alan is still outwardly antagonistic to Ebony who is now a fashion model but they have actually been conducting a secret hot affair for a yr when MOD opens. This is one of those love-hate relationships in which the H/H both act like they are 5 yr old toddlers. I didnt mind it in the 22 yr old Ebony but Alan is a much older 34 year old businessman and should know better. He actually comes across as a psycho with his mind-flipping and jealousy. Needless to say, he is also one of those tedious heroes who thinks the H is a slut based on no evidence.
One of the worst Miranda Lee books I ever read and I say this after reading about 50 of them.
MOD occurs approximately 4 years after Outback Man. Alan is still outwardly antagonistic to Ebony who is now a fashion model but they have actually been conducting a secret hot affair for a yr when MOD opens. This is one of those love-hate relationships in which the H/H both act like they are 5 yr old toddlers. I didnt mind it in the 22 yr old Ebony but Alan is a much older 34 year old businessman and should know better. He actually comes across as a psycho with his mind-flipping and jealousy. Needless to say, he is also one of those tedious heroes who thinks the H is a slut based on no evidence.
One of the worst Miranda Lee books I ever read and I say this after reading about 50 of them.
August 25, 2018
Sizzling chemistry and the couple were blinded to the truth which made it even more dramatic.
Alan's obsession with Ebony was pretty much destroying them! The relationship was toxic at times because they were both hurting but too much pride to admit the truth? Truth sets the soul free - pretty much relevant here.
I almost didn't get round to reading this novel because of the mix reviews but it was good thing to give it a shot and it was much much better than I anticipated. Give it a shot!
Alan's obsession with Ebony was pretty much destroying them! The relationship was toxic at times because they were both hurting but too much pride to admit the truth? Truth sets the soul free - pretty much relevant here.
I almost didn't get round to reading this novel because of the mix reviews but it was good thing to give it a shot and it was much much better than I anticipated. Give it a shot!
May 13, 2017
If you read the first book in this mini-series, you'll remember that Alan Carstairs was once engaged to Arianna and at the end of that story, when she broke off their affair, Alan revealed that he was having feelings for his ward, Ebony, and that's why he'd wanted to marry Arianna...to protect dear Ebony from his baser urges. Arianna, at the time, suggested Alan was in love with Ebony. Well, he must have taken that suggestion and given in the ole heave ho, because in this book there is no way I could believe that Alan loved Ebony...not even a little. When she was 18, Ebony approached Alan and told him she loved him, then kissed him. He kissed her back with enthusiasm before pretty much breaking her heart. 3 years of strained relationship later, Alan sees Ebony at a party, acting alluring and tempting him and assumes that she must be over her love and ready for a good fucking. So, angry that she appears to be over their love and believing her something of a slut now, he takes her. When she realizes it wasn't out of love (since she still loves him), she pushes him out of her life and tries to move on. But Alan has decided that she's his mistress - so he shows up periodically, when he can't take anymore time without her and treats her like a whore, claiming her, possessing her and making her see how much she desires him and then shaming her with it afterwards. All the while he believes she's sleeping around, which she encourages him to think since she's beginning to hate him as much as she loves him. This sick, toxic relationship continues, up til the point when Alan realizes he's tired of it too and maybe they could get married.
Ebony is the quintessential doormat who gets all riled up and hating before and after sex, but falls into bed with Alan every time...and loves it. Then, she pushes him away and swears he'll never touch her again. But he knows enough to soften up and treat her with respect and affection just long enough to get what he wants. I honestly could not understand how Ebony could love someone like Alan. Nor could I understand how Alan could look at his behavior and his feelings toward Ebony, blaming her for his inability resist her and more or less hating her for it, and think he's in love with her. And of course he claims he loves her even though he honestly believe she has sex with other guys. When they have their little truce and it looks like things will be okay, he sees her with an old guy friend, assumes she had sex with him and plots his revenge...all the while still supposedly loving her. I could not buy into their HEA for anything in the world.
And yet, I gave this story 2 stars (instead of 1) because of its delightful, train-wreck qualities. As much as this was a horrible hero and a weak heroine, the drama, angst and sheer awfulness of their behavior was enough to keep me turning pages. At no point did I get frustrated or fed up with them...I wanted to see how much more dramatic it would get. It was a fun read.
Ebony is the quintessential doormat who gets all riled up and hating before and after sex, but falls into bed with Alan every time...and loves it. Then, she pushes him away and swears he'll never touch her again. But he knows enough to soften up and treat her with respect and affection just long enough to get what he wants. I honestly could not understand how Ebony could love someone like Alan. Nor could I understand how Alan could look at his behavior and his feelings toward Ebony, blaming her for his inability resist her and more or less hating her for it, and think he's in love with her. And of course he claims he loves her even though he honestly believe she has sex with other guys. When they have their little truce and it looks like things will be okay, he sees her with an old guy friend, assumes she had sex with him and plots his revenge...all the while still supposedly loving her. I could not buy into their HEA for anything in the world.
And yet, I gave this story 2 stars (instead of 1) because of its delightful, train-wreck qualities. As much as this was a horrible hero and a weak heroine, the drama, angst and sheer awfulness of their behavior was enough to keep me turning pages. At no point did I get frustrated or fed up with them...I wanted to see how much more dramatic it would get. It was a fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2017
OMG, one dysfunctional relationship!
The H is OTT obsessed and almost stalkerish. He fell in love with his 18 year old ward (something so wrong in this) and I guess he knew it too, since he fought it for the longest time. My beef is in the manner by which he did this, he pushed her away, rejected her in a harsh manner when she kissed him, was rude to her and made their encounters so acrimonious, that she was forced to leave her home. Since she had lived with him and his mother, as his ward.
Eventually they get together when she is 21, but their relationship is more of lust than love. He treats her like a mistress and she constantly taunts him and makes him jealous since she thinks, and rightly so, that he is merely using her for sex, instead of love.
They both totally misunderstand each others feelings, misinterpret each others actions and just consistently did everything to guarantee the worst possible outcome.
But its a hot read so 3-stars
The H is OTT obsessed and almost stalkerish. He fell in love with his 18 year old ward (something so wrong in this) and I guess he knew it too, since he fought it for the longest time. My beef is in the manner by which he did this, he pushed her away, rejected her in a harsh manner when she kissed him, was rude to her and made their encounters so acrimonious, that she was forced to leave her home. Since she had lived with him and his mother, as his ward.
Eventually they get together when she is 21, but their relationship is more of lust than love. He treats her like a mistress and she constantly taunts him and makes him jealous since she thinks, and rightly so, that he is merely using her for sex, instead of love.
They both totally misunderstand each others feelings, misinterpret each others actions and just consistently did everything to guarantee the worst possible outcome.
But its a hot read so 3-stars
February 8, 2025
I hated the story because of Gary the first lover , the heroine was vulnerable lonely and he slept with her , she said he was a good guy if he really was he wouldn't use her vulnerability and weakness to fulfill his desires and she cried a whole day after , she obviously regretted sleeping with him and she wouldn't if he didn't use her moment of weakness and I don't think a good friend would do that and he was the nice guy to her no he was a wolf in sheep clothing, even the H was manipulative he used the heroine love and devotion and seriously the h should visit a therapist because of her childhood trauma and lack of parental love she seeks validation and acceptance from the first Male that gave her attention , 15 years old i was still watching cartoon how about falling in love , they should go the couple counseling that or my sociology books deprived me from reading a good romance book
August 30, 2015
I'm still WTF'ing over this heroine... and just he general stupidity,,
November 29, 2024
3,5 stars.
May 13, 2022
Angst by misunderstanding. Angst by jealousy.
Very twisted. Very sad.
Too much of " rampant sexuality ".
Very twisted. Very sad.
Too much of " rampant sexuality ".
July 19, 2023
Confused. Not me, Miranda Lee or her editors. The man is in lust, he’s in love; he loved her at 18 but felt wrong about his feelings for her when she was 15. Wait, he’s banging Adrianna so he won’t touch Ebony; but damn her for sleeping with a man after he brutally rejected her…to save her from his lustfully disgusting ways, but she’s a slutty whore who deserves to be punished.
They were scared to write a straightforward d/s relationship with the forbidden touch of guardian/ward? Or to have him obsess and be overcome by his jealousy since she was such a great beauty- lusted after by everyone who saw her? Wth?
Hp’s with cheaters or H’s who is having sex when they KNOW the h loves them are not for me, but this whiplash made me downright mad. The writer/editors threw the kitchen sink arguments in so the sex could be hot?It’s written for adults not boobheads. We can handle erotica in our romances. We can take,( or even demand!), rough, punishing hot sex cuz he’s so jealous he wants to “ punish” the h, hopefully to make her want him so bad- she is lusting only the H. Not contrived “forced” seduction or “power struggles “ when it’s really a simple case of guilt, jealousy and needing to man tf up.
Btw, if I ever heard a man say, ‘I stuck it in her cuz I didn’t want to stick it in you’ as a BS reason for not breaking some moral code of loving someone inappropriate… I will kick him between his legs and punch him the way down. How disgusting. And I darn sure don’t want that in erotica or a romance.
They were scared to write a straightforward d/s relationship with the forbidden touch of guardian/ward? Or to have him obsess and be overcome by his jealousy since she was such a great beauty- lusted after by everyone who saw her? Wth?
Hp’s with cheaters or H’s who is having sex when they KNOW the h loves them are not for me, but this whiplash made me downright mad. The writer/editors threw the kitchen sink arguments in so the sex could be hot?It’s written for adults not boobheads. We can handle erotica in our romances. We can take,( or even demand!), rough, punishing hot sex cuz he’s so jealous he wants to “ punish” the h, hopefully to make her want him so bad- she is lusting only the H. Not contrived “forced” seduction or “power struggles “ when it’s really a simple case of guilt, jealousy and needing to man tf up.
Btw, if I ever heard a man say, ‘I stuck it in her cuz I didn’t want to stick it in you’ as a BS reason for not breaking some moral code of loving someone inappropriate… I will kick him between his legs and punch him the way down. How disgusting. And I darn sure don’t want that in erotica or a romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2021
The "hero" thinks the heroine is a flaming slut THE ENTIRE BOOK. His inner monologue and all the heinous things he thinks of her makes him say and do batshit crazy things. His level of possessiveness was OTT and not attractive.
They have a very tumultuous and secret sexual relationship. He was appointed her guardian when she was 15 and he was 27-ish but they didn't start having sex until she was 21. He treats her like a dirty secret and shows contempt for her while having sex with her which makes her act like a femme fatale. She doesn't want to be treated like a sexual object but she loves him so she accepts their relationship but it's killing her inside. Their relationship is so based on sex that when they go out for their first date, they don't know how to converse with each other.
She should have left him at the end. He treated her like crap. He didn't grovel AT ALL and he should have because he was a judgmental, mean ass the entire book.
They have a very tumultuous and secret sexual relationship. He was appointed her guardian when she was 15 and he was 27-ish but they didn't start having sex until she was 21. He treats her like a dirty secret and shows contempt for her while having sex with her which makes her act like a femme fatale. She doesn't want to be treated like a sexual object but she loves him so she accepts their relationship but it's killing her inside. Their relationship is so based on sex that when they go out for their first date, they don't know how to converse with each other.
She should have left him at the end. He treated her like crap. He didn't grovel AT ALL and he should have because he was a judgmental, mean ass the entire book.
January 8, 2024
GOd, haven't read another crap like this
FOr the whole book the H treated the h with contempt, rudeness, insults and as a body for sex and what did the h do???
Nothing , she just let him, i mean really where is your self respect girl!!!
They both were childish and immature, i mean i have words, this was a toxic relationship.Period.
FOr the whole book the H treated the h with contempt, rudeness, insults and as a body for sex and what did the h do???
Nothing , she just let him, i mean really where is your self respect girl!!!
They both were childish and immature, i mean i have words, this was a toxic relationship.Period.
January 11, 2025
Too sleazy for me! The H and h both hide their true (half psycho) feelings, sleep with other people and have sex with each other like two horndogs (no emotions involved besides hostility), and we're supposed to believe they're soulmates????
OH, COME ON!!!!!!
You know what happens when you don't digest something right and a bit of it comes back up like barf in your mouth? That's a perfect description of this book!
DNF
OH, COME ON!!!!!!
You know what happens when you don't digest something right and a bit of it comes back up like barf in your mouth? That's a perfect description of this book!
DNF
November 16, 2018
Strange story. I didn't like Alan at all. Judging Ebony by her father's behaviour was ridiculous. He treated her in the most demeaning fashion. He should've asked her and believed her. No Alan, you are not nice, I don't care if you were jealous. You were 12 years older than her.
November 1, 2023
This was nasty! Hero was just a controlling hypocrite psycho! All he wants to do is punish and control the heroine. She sucks too, but at least she tried to leave the situation and the stupid guy won’t leave her alone. Liked the other guy! Go to paris with that dude. Skip, not even fun bad.
August 17, 2017
Mistress of Deception by Miranda Lee
Ebony is an Australian Supermodel who was once Alan's ward. They used to be very close but now they are not, Ebony doesn't want to relive her past. They both have deep feelings towards each other, even though Ebony wants to avoid Alan, she is still drawn to him. Will they get together or stay apart?
Although this is not my usual genre, I did read it because the book was a gift to me. I did find the story to be a bit predictable, and I am not fond of reading sex scenes. But that aside the story was good enough to keep my attention. I liked Ebony, she had a rough start at life, but still a strong woman. I did not like Alan, I know he is flawed, but I just could not like him. I also liked Alan's Sister and Mother, they made the story more intense and enjoyable. I feel those who like romance will enjoy Mistress Of Deception.
Ebony is an Australian Supermodel who was once Alan's ward. They used to be very close but now they are not, Ebony doesn't want to relive her past. They both have deep feelings towards each other, even though Ebony wants to avoid Alan, she is still drawn to him. Will they get together or stay apart?
Although this is not my usual genre, I did read it because the book was a gift to me. I did find the story to be a bit predictable, and I am not fond of reading sex scenes. But that aside the story was good enough to keep my attention. I liked Ebony, she had a rough start at life, but still a strong woman. I did not like Alan, I know he is flawed, but I just could not like him. I also liked Alan's Sister and Mother, they made the story more intense and enjoyable. I feel those who like romance will enjoy Mistress Of Deception.
January 25, 2021
Αν και δεν παύει να είναι μια πολύ καλή ιστορία, η μόνη μου ένσταση αφορά τον ήρωα, που τον βρήκα πολύ συντηρητικό και με εμμονές... που παραλίγο να του στοίχιζαν το δικαίωμα στην αγάπη και την ευτυχία! Όσο για την ηρωίδα μου άρεσε παρά πολύ και με συγκίνησε!!!
July 2, 2011
Miranda Lee has written some of the more interesting books in the Harlequin Presents line. This one resonants with me still.
It reminds a little of those old gothic novels with the guardian and his ward. Its kinda edgy, with its jealousy and gulity sex. I think of it as an earlier and tentative foray into the world of romantica. Perhaps it was the way Ebony was portrayed with her French ennui and the dark characterization of Alan. The sexual tension is strong and the obsession factor is OTT. I have an image of hese two falling off the cliff arguing and making love as they fall. It's a near thing. lol.
Its a memorable read and I return to it once in awhile.
It reminds a little of those old gothic novels with the guardian and his ward. Its kinda edgy, with its jealousy and gulity sex. I think of it as an earlier and tentative foray into the world of romantica. Perhaps it was the way Ebony was portrayed with her French ennui and the dark characterization of Alan. The sexual tension is strong and the obsession factor is OTT. I have an image of hese two falling off the cliff arguing and making love as they fall. It's a near thing. lol.
Its a memorable read and I return to it once in awhile.
November 2, 2014
The worst Miranda Lee book ever. The H is a complete jerk to the h and believes her to be a slut because it justifies his behaviour. The h is the type who says I hate you but as soon as he touches her is all 'I must have you now'. She forgives his abysmal treatment of her much too easily. They were both jealous and spiteful. Miserable love story.
June 29, 2011
2.5 stars
April 21, 2012
Titre vf : Esclave de la passion
January 1, 2014
Sizzling intense read.
own-but-wont-read-or-wallbanger
March 13, 2018Escape from obsession!
Ebony is an Australian supermodel. She is also Alan Carstair's ward. Once they were close, but now it is no secret in Sydney's glamorous fashion world that Ebony and Alan are openly hostile toward eachother. Why? What nobody knows is that Ebony and Alan are caught up in an obsession for each other. However, both can no longer bear the pain of their all-consuming passion, and each has a plan to break free. Ebony intends to leave Alan, while he is determined to make her pay for those years of tortured desire. But sometimes a bitter end leads to a new beginning...and where there was hatred, there can be love.
Ebony is an Australian supermodel. She is also Alan Carstair's ward. Once they were close, but now it is no secret in Sydney's glamorous fashion world that Ebony and Alan are openly hostile toward eachother. Why? What nobody knows is that Ebony and Alan are caught up in an obsession for each other. However, both can no longer bear the pain of their all-consuming passion, and each has a plan to break free. Ebony intends to leave Alan, while he is determined to make her pay for those years of tortured desire. But sometimes a bitter end leads to a new beginning...and where there was hatred, there can be love.
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