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The Stefanos Legacy #1
Promoted to the Greek's Wife
Her boss' diamond deal will change her life! Enjoy this captivating marriage-of-convenience romance from USA Today bestselling author Lynne Graham! Her boss needs a wife...and she's the perfect candidate! Receptionist Cleo's attraction to billionaire Ari Stefanos is a fiercely kept secret. Until one sizzling night it's deliciously exposed! Still, she knows that their passion can't - shouldn't - last. If the past has taught her anything, it's that you can't make somebody love you. After discovering his father's hidden family, Ari found solace in sweet Cleo's arms.... Now, in order to adopt his orphaned niece, he needs to marry. Caring Cleo ticks every box for Ari's bride-to-be...if only their connection didn't make their convenient marriage so inconveniently complicated! From Harlequin Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds. Check out all the Stefanos Legacy Book 1: Promoted to the Greek's Wife Book 2: The Heir His Housekeeper Carried
1 pages, Audio CD
First published January 25, 2022
203 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Graham
1,763 books1,448 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
January 4, 2022
3.5 stars.
Once again, Lynne Graham gets my New Year off to a cosy start with this adorably romantic novel, that’s low on angst but has just the right amount of comedy and sexiness.
Lynne Graham pairs a plucky, ditzy, klutzy, mouthy, lovable, independent and eternally optimistic heroine, who’s not afraid to stand up for herself, with a sexy but staid, handsome H, in her newest novel.
Tropes:
▪️ Office Romance (but only at the very beginning)
▪️ Marriage of convenience.
▪️ Opposites attract.
Cleo, is one of LG’s petite, ball of energy heroines with a strong backbone, who speaks before thinking and always tries to look for the good in other people. In some ways, she's a more sensible, less naive (but less hilarious) version of Dixie, from The Spanish Groom.
She's just temping at the H's brand-new head office, but it's not long before she develops a huge crush on the elusive big boss.
This is the heroine, Cleo:
Ari, the H, is a compulsive organizer, who despises disorder and has a keen attention for detail.
He’s a bit of a neat freak too and prefers that his employees maintain a certain outward image of decorum and conventional *good taste*.
So, he’s appalled when he encounters the new temp at the receptionist’s desk: she’s too colourful, too loud, dresses in an eccentric manner and her hairstyle (if you want to call it that) looks like a cute uncontrollable mess. To put it bluntly: she’s the antithesis of the ideal receptionist, for a posh firm like his.
They're such an unlikely couple, that only the reader could predict the outcome of their pairing…
This is the H, Ari:
Things get off to a comically entertaining start, with these two, when the heroine inadvertently breaks an important rule: never allow access to any of the boss’ ex-girlfriends (especially if they’re of the manic stalker variety).
From this point onwards, the misfit heroine creates comic drama, getting into hot water, at the company's corporate retreat, much to my amusement (but not the hero's!) by always doing what she's not supposed to do...
This novel reads like an HP version of a cute n' fluffy Hallmark movie.
There’s:
▪️ No second chance romance.
▪️ No secret baby.
▪️ No mean vengeful H.
▪️ No excessive or gut-wrenching angst.
▪️ Bits of hilarity.
▪️ Some silly errors of judgement and a couple of minor misunderstandings, that are soon cleared up.
▪️ MC’sbumbling into love falling in love but trying hard to fight it.
▪️ A hunky H who comes across as a bit goofy, when he tries hard to hide his feelings, by being too cool.
This is just a simple, heart-warming love story about an unlikely couple, who find love when they unite to save the life of an ill, orphaned baby girl – the H’s newly discovered niece, who’s in foster care and desperately needs a stable home.
So, Lynne G gives us:
▪️ A baby in need of saving.
▪️ Some minor background family drama to be sorted out.
▪️ An obsessed, former OW who stalks the H and then tries (but doesn’t succeed) to pin her pregnancy on him, in her effort to ruin the MC’s newlywed bliss.
▪️ An independent heroine who tells the H exactly how she feels and teaches him that a relationship is a two-way street.
▪️ A H who learns, the hard way, that not all women are sexual conveniences, begging for crumbs of affection at this billionaire feet.
At the end of it all, it’s a sweet little novel about a kind and selfless heroine who takes a self-contained, egotistical H on an important journey of learning; teaching him, step by step, that love means sacrifice, selflessness, sharing, compromise and communication.
LG adds her usual romantic epilogue, filled with lots of extended family fun, where the MC’s are expecting twin baby boys and the H’s little niece is now a sturdy, healthy toddler.
Most importantly, LG provides a huge hint, for the next novel in the series, which deals with the H’s long lost half-sister. That novel will be The Heirs His Housekeeper Carried: An Uplifting International Romance.
Safety: No OM, a former OW but her antics are mostly off page and no cheating.
Once again, Lynne Graham gets my New Year off to a cosy start with this adorably romantic novel, that’s low on angst but has just the right amount of comedy and sexiness.
Lynne Graham pairs a plucky, ditzy, klutzy, mouthy, lovable, independent and eternally optimistic heroine, who’s not afraid to stand up for herself, with a sexy but staid, handsome H, in her newest novel.
Tropes:
▪️ Office Romance (but only at the very beginning)
▪️ Marriage of convenience.
▪️ Opposites attract.
Cleo, is one of LG’s petite, ball of energy heroines with a strong backbone, who speaks before thinking and always tries to look for the good in other people. In some ways, she's a more sensible, less naive (but less hilarious) version of Dixie, from The Spanish Groom.
She's just temping at the H's brand-new head office, but it's not long before she develops a huge crush on the elusive big boss.
This is the heroine, Cleo:
Ari, the H, is a compulsive organizer, who despises disorder and has a keen attention for detail.
He’s a bit of a neat freak too and prefers that his employees maintain a certain outward image of decorum and conventional *good taste*.
So, he’s appalled when he encounters the new temp at the receptionist’s desk: she’s too colourful, too loud, dresses in an eccentric manner and her hairstyle (if you want to call it that) looks like a cute uncontrollable mess. To put it bluntly: she’s the antithesis of the ideal receptionist, for a posh firm like his.
They're such an unlikely couple, that only the reader could predict the outcome of their pairing…
This is the H, Ari:
Things get off to a comically entertaining start, with these two, when the heroine inadvertently breaks an important rule: never allow access to any of the boss’ ex-girlfriends (especially if they’re of the manic stalker variety).
From this point onwards, the misfit heroine creates comic drama, getting into hot water, at the company's corporate retreat, much to my amusement (but not the hero's!) by always doing what she's not supposed to do...
This novel reads like an HP version of a cute n' fluffy Hallmark movie.
There’s:
▪️ No second chance romance.
▪️ No secret baby.
▪️ No mean vengeful H.
▪️ No excessive or gut-wrenching angst.
▪️ Bits of hilarity.
▪️ Some silly errors of judgement and a couple of minor misunderstandings, that are soon cleared up.
▪️ MC’s
▪️ A hunky H who comes across as a bit goofy, when he tries hard to hide his feelings, by being too cool.
This is just a simple, heart-warming love story about an unlikely couple, who find love when they unite to save the life of an ill, orphaned baby girl – the H’s newly discovered niece, who’s in foster care and desperately needs a stable home.
So, Lynne G gives us:
▪️ A baby in need of saving.
▪️ Some minor background family drama to be sorted out.
▪️ An obsessed, former OW who stalks the H and then tries (but doesn’t succeed) to pin her pregnancy on him, in her effort to ruin the MC’s newlywed bliss.
▪️ An independent heroine who tells the H exactly how she feels and teaches him that a relationship is a two-way street.
▪️ A H who learns, the hard way, that not all women are sexual conveniences, begging for crumbs of affection at this billionaire feet.
At the end of it all, it’s a sweet little novel about a kind and selfless heroine who takes a self-contained, egotistical H on an important journey of learning; teaching him, step by step, that love means sacrifice, selflessness, sharing, compromise and communication.
LG adds her usual romantic epilogue, filled with lots of extended family fun, where the MC’s are expecting twin baby boys and the H’s little niece is now a sturdy, healthy toddler.
Most importantly, LG provides a huge hint, for the next novel in the series, which deals with the H’s long lost half-sister. That novel will be The Heirs His Housekeeper Carried: An Uplifting International Romance.
Safety: No OM, a former OW but her antics are mostly off page and no cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2022
It was not really interesting as far as I am concerned.
March 30, 2022
Polite billionaire hero who puts up with a judgmental, self-pitying heroine who argues about everything. His dialogue sounded like something out of politically correct consent pamphlet and hers sounded like a perpetual victim on Twitter. Modern, yes. Interesting, no.
This story kicks off a series about the hero's half-siblings. LG has done this before.
This story kicks off a series about the hero's half-siblings. LG has done this before.
January 30, 2025
3,5 stars!
*******
Re-read without remembering the reading, hence reducing the half star!
*******
Re-read without remembering the reading, hence reducing the half star!
May 6, 2023
Sweet love story
Another playboy falls for a curvy virgin and bites the dust. Typical Lynne Graham and parts of it reminded me of a Spanish Groom actually. But since that is my one of my favorites, I liked it. I am really not sure its a four bit I gave it the extra star for communication. This is a couple that communicates. Good or bad, it was discussed before it became a major issue. And some of the stuff was major. Very major but she always let him know what she was feeling. She actually got up and left after sex, she was the one who played it casual and didn't want to get attached. She blocked his phone calls, I loved that one, and she called him out for having invited all his ex lovers to the wedding. And he was gobsmacked by her. Lol I did like it as i said but it moved a tiny bit slow for some reason. I still enjoyed it and it broke a string of bad reading really. I can't seem to get into books lately. This was a nice change. Not earth shattering, not angsty just a little bumpy riding throughout the book. Safe except for some ex drama from before they got together.
Another playboy falls for a curvy virgin and bites the dust. Typical Lynne Graham and parts of it reminded me of a Spanish Groom actually. But since that is my one of my favorites, I liked it. I am really not sure its a four bit I gave it the extra star for communication. This is a couple that communicates. Good or bad, it was discussed before it became a major issue. And some of the stuff was major. Very major but she always let him know what she was feeling. She actually got up and left after sex, she was the one who played it casual and didn't want to get attached. She blocked his phone calls, I loved that one, and she called him out for having invited all his ex lovers to the wedding. And he was gobsmacked by her. Lol I did like it as i said but it moved a tiny bit slow for some reason. I still enjoyed it and it broke a string of bad reading really. I can't seem to get into books lately. This was a nice change. Not earth shattering, not angsty just a little bumpy riding throughout the book. Safe except for some ex drama from before they got together.
December 28, 2022
Nice story, with humour. Liked both H and h, they both had similar family issues.
January 11, 2023
[…] Ari left his office just as an eruption of giggles sounded from the reception area. His hard, dark gaze arrowed in that direction, and exasperation flooded him at the sight of a security guard flirting with the receptionist, who irritated the hell out of him. What was her name again? Cleo, he recalled, and even the name was inappropriate for a female with a mop of blonde curls and blue eyes. Cleo, short for Cleopatra, was, in Ari’s highly experienced opinion, the name for a tall, dark beauty, not an undersized one with the curves of a pocket Venus and the dress sense of an eighties swagged and ruffled floral curtain.
Promoted to the Greek’s Wife by Lynne Graham is a more “modern” version of Ms. Graham’s novels that I absolutely adore. 28 year old Aristaeus Stefanos (Ari) and 22 year old Cleopatra (Cleo) cross each other’s paths when Cleo starts to work as a temp at Ari’s company. Ari finds Cleo irritating because of the major differences between them, and it had not helped matters when Cleo had been responsible for letting his stalker-type ex into his office unchallenged, on the very first day of her job.
Cleo for her part knows where she belongs, but the attraction she feels towards Ari is something she is willing to let herself indulge in as long as it does not escalate out of control. Cleo does not want to obsess over a man to the point where she ends up becoming like her mother. But when circumstances bring these two into each other’s orbits, there is no stopping what happens next, and thus brings forth the fragile beginnings of a relationship, even if Cleo might be wary to believe it so.
Ari also has a need for Cleo that goes beyond the physical – the devastating truths that had come to light upon the death of his father forces him to act in pursuit of his orphaned niece, and he needs Cleo’s help to achieve what he wants. For the most part this book offers a tamer hero to what Ms. Graham’s books usually brings to the table. While there were echos of her more alpha heroes to be found in Ari, I wanted more from him than what materialized.
I also found my enjoyment factor reduced by the fact that the heroine was extremely annoying and always at flight risk owing to her childhood abandonment issues, which I understood to a point. For two protagonists who actually had more conversations take place between them than any other Harlequin romance I have read from Ms. Graham, Cleo and Ari certainly seemed to have more trust issues than most, minus the angst factor. The most hypocritical aspect was that Cleo was all about preaching to Ari to look at situations from all angles, but when it comes to her, there is no putting that into practice.
I missed the angst that is usually present in Ms. Graham’s novels, and I also found myself hankering for the high octane sexual tension between the leads which seemed to be missing from the story, which also reduced by pleasure in reading this novel.
Recommended for those who prefer to read romances that suits the “modern” reader. I should have known when I picked up a book published in 2022 that it would be so.
Final Verdict: Promoted to the Greek’s Wife is the watered down version of Ms. Graham’s older and more addictive novels, which failed to give me the joy I mostly expect from her novels!
Rating = 3/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
Promoted to the Greek’s Wife by Lynne Graham is a more “modern” version of Ms. Graham’s novels that I absolutely adore. 28 year old Aristaeus Stefanos (Ari) and 22 year old Cleopatra (Cleo) cross each other’s paths when Cleo starts to work as a temp at Ari’s company. Ari finds Cleo irritating because of the major differences between them, and it had not helped matters when Cleo had been responsible for letting his stalker-type ex into his office unchallenged, on the very first day of her job.
Cleo for her part knows where she belongs, but the attraction she feels towards Ari is something she is willing to let herself indulge in as long as it does not escalate out of control. Cleo does not want to obsess over a man to the point where she ends up becoming like her mother. But when circumstances bring these two into each other’s orbits, there is no stopping what happens next, and thus brings forth the fragile beginnings of a relationship, even if Cleo might be wary to believe it so.
Ari also has a need for Cleo that goes beyond the physical – the devastating truths that had come to light upon the death of his father forces him to act in pursuit of his orphaned niece, and he needs Cleo’s help to achieve what he wants. For the most part this book offers a tamer hero to what Ms. Graham’s books usually brings to the table. While there were echos of her more alpha heroes to be found in Ari, I wanted more from him than what materialized.
I also found my enjoyment factor reduced by the fact that the heroine was extremely annoying and always at flight risk owing to her childhood abandonment issues, which I understood to a point. For two protagonists who actually had more conversations take place between them than any other Harlequin romance I have read from Ms. Graham, Cleo and Ari certainly seemed to have more trust issues than most, minus the angst factor. The most hypocritical aspect was that Cleo was all about preaching to Ari to look at situations from all angles, but when it comes to her, there is no putting that into practice.
I missed the angst that is usually present in Ms. Graham’s novels, and I also found myself hankering for the high octane sexual tension between the leads which seemed to be missing from the story, which also reduced by pleasure in reading this novel.
Recommended for those who prefer to read romances that suits the “modern” reader. I should have known when I picked up a book published in 2022 that it would be so.
Final Verdict: Promoted to the Greek’s Wife is the watered down version of Ms. Graham’s older and more addictive novels, which failed to give me the joy I mostly expect from her novels!
Rating = 3/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
January 9, 2022
I'm sorry but the story feels emotionless for me, I struggled to finish it. It's boring, lack of chemistry, I mean there was chemistry I supposed but the heroine had a trust issue, and the hero was not romantic at all. It's hard to describe it, but the point is this is just boring. No real issue, only when they thought he impregnated someone, and he was so emotionless about it. He was no dominant. Just a no for me.
March 3, 2022
Oh Lynne Graham, how Dare you put me in a state of nirvana such as this? I’m unable to stop thinking of Ari and Cleo! Truly a delight of trope stew: Found family, marriage of convenience/fake marriage’ish, a dash of “secret baby”, an Alpha hero..I’m probably missing like three other tropes but it’s so good. So much happens in so little page space and I loved it.
January 9, 2022
I LOVE Lynne graham and i tried to like this i really tried but it was just bad and meh it's No for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
July 21, 2025DNF at 14%.
There are too many clits in this book. The virginal heroine and the manwhore hero.
The billionaire and the poor.
The quirky and innocent versus the strait laced and worldly.
The hopeless woman who needs to be rescued.
I'm sure there are more tropes but I'm going to stop while I still am not terribly irritated. I know this author writes a lot and I thought I'd try one of their books but I don't think that they are for me. More of the traditional harlequin romance that's likely written to a "typical" plotline.
There are too many clits in this book. The virginal heroine and the manwhore hero.
The billionaire and the poor.
The quirky and innocent versus the strait laced and worldly.
The hopeless woman who needs to be rescued.
I'm sure there are more tropes but I'm going to stop while I still am not terribly irritated. I know this author writes a lot and I thought I'd try one of their books but I don't think that they are for me. More of the traditional harlequin romance that's likely written to a "typical" plotline.
September 4, 2022
This HP felt off... perhaps it was the writing style? Or that it was too modern and not very HP-like? Added to this, I didn't care for the MCs enough and found them slightly annoying.
This was a let down as I waited for the series to be complete before starting it. So much for delayed gratification.
This was a let down as I waited for the series to be complete before starting it. So much for delayed gratification.
August 10, 2022
I enjoyed this book.
Read
January 1, 2022Categories
Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
The Stefanos Legacy (Book #1)
Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
The Stefanos Legacy (Book #1)
January 8, 2022
Good read.. This author always does a good job with these alpha H’s. This one was no exception, but I found him more endearing as he seem to have no clue about things he did and said. Inviting your ex’s to your wedding! Poor guy, totally clueless. who said that was a smart idea? Just because your wealthy (Elon Musk) doesn’t mean you have common sense. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
July 15, 2023
Fake-fiancee, secret-sibling romance
This novel is the first in a trilogy called, The Stefanos Legacy. Each book stars a Stefanos sibling. In this book, 28-year-old Greek billionaire, Ari Stefanos, is shocked to discover, after his father’s death, that he has three half-siblings from his father’s longtime, covert, extra-marital affair. Ari is determined to locate each of his siblings. In the process, he learns that one of them, a young man of 22, was an addict who recently died of an overdose. The young man had a child with another addict, who apparently died at the same time he did, also from an overdose. Conscientious Ari is determined to adopt his baby niece. However, in order to make that possible, he needs a fake fiancee, and he knows just the woman for the job.
Beautiful, compassionate Cleo is a colorfully quirky woman in her early twenties, who is a former employee of Ari's London office. Staunchly independent and protective of her professional reputation, though Cleo lost her virginity to Ari, and she is more than half in love with him, she has refused to offer him more than a single night. Asking Cleo to act the part of his fiancee will serve two vital functions for Ari: getting her under his roof, thereby increasing his chances of coaxing her back into his arms, and convincing social services that he would be an ideal guardian for his niece.
This is a lively, low-angst LG romance. There are many humorous moments of snappy repartee as Cleo and Ari go head to head. Cleo absolutely refuses to be dominated by Ari, who has obviously never heard the word, "No," in his entire life.
This story is unusual for LG in that Cleo does not get pregnant on the very night she loses her virginity to Ari. In fact, there is no unplanned pregnancy at all between them. Marriage of convenience is a trope that appears in virtually every LG novel, and the only time it is not an unplanned pregnancy of the heroine instigating the marriage (either immediately after her pregnancy is revealed, or months or years later when the hero learns of the existence of the heroine's secret baby), it is because of an inheritance requiring the hero to marry, or the intense desire of one or both of the romantic protagonists to adopt the child of a deceased sibling. The latter is one of my favorite tropes, in romance novels and romantic comedy movies, and it is delightfully done in this novel.
Overall, this is a quick and engaging read. I have read it several times and enjoyed it each time, because Ari and Cleo are both highly sympathetic protagonists.
This novel is the first in a trilogy called, The Stefanos Legacy. Each book stars a Stefanos sibling. In this book, 28-year-old Greek billionaire, Ari Stefanos, is shocked to discover, after his father’s death, that he has three half-siblings from his father’s longtime, covert, extra-marital affair. Ari is determined to locate each of his siblings. In the process, he learns that one of them, a young man of 22, was an addict who recently died of an overdose. The young man had a child with another addict, who apparently died at the same time he did, also from an overdose. Conscientious Ari is determined to adopt his baby niece. However, in order to make that possible, he needs a fake fiancee, and he knows just the woman for the job.
Beautiful, compassionate Cleo is a colorfully quirky woman in her early twenties, who is a former employee of Ari's London office. Staunchly independent and protective of her professional reputation, though Cleo lost her virginity to Ari, and she is more than half in love with him, she has refused to offer him more than a single night. Asking Cleo to act the part of his fiancee will serve two vital functions for Ari: getting her under his roof, thereby increasing his chances of coaxing her back into his arms, and convincing social services that he would be an ideal guardian for his niece.
This is a lively, low-angst LG romance. There are many humorous moments of snappy repartee as Cleo and Ari go head to head. Cleo absolutely refuses to be dominated by Ari, who has obviously never heard the word, "No," in his entire life.
This story is unusual for LG in that Cleo does not get pregnant on the very night she loses her virginity to Ari. In fact, there is no unplanned pregnancy at all between them. Marriage of convenience is a trope that appears in virtually every LG novel, and the only time it is not an unplanned pregnancy of the heroine instigating the marriage (either immediately after her pregnancy is revealed, or months or years later when the hero learns of the existence of the heroine's secret baby), it is because of an inheritance requiring the hero to marry, or the intense desire of one or both of the romantic protagonists to adopt the child of a deceased sibling. The latter is one of my favorite tropes, in romance novels and romantic comedy movies, and it is delightfully done in this novel.
Overall, this is a quick and engaging read. I have read it several times and enjoyed it each time, because Ari and Cleo are both highly sympathetic protagonists.
July 23, 2024
Actual rating: 3,5
Jujur, awalannya kaget karena cepet banget pace-nya, habis itu menjelang pertengahan melambat, habis itu gas pol. Alasan kenapa Ari harus menikahi Cleo nggak terlalu kena spotlight. Agak disayangkan sebenarnya, walaupun yah kalau alurnya condong gimana Cleo & Ari merawat si alasan ini jelas bukunya lebih tebal dan mungkin bakal lebih banyak sub-konfliknya.
As always, kalau premis begini nggak begitu suka sama karakter ML-nya yang pemaksa dan marah-marah gak jelas. Untung Cleo nggak ikutan drama pas nanggepin.
Yah, konfliknya nggak ringan tapi pengemasannya lumayan enteng jadi bisa buat selingan pas bosan dengan topik berat.
Caution: pastikan usiamu 21 tahun atau lebih sebelum memutuskan buat baca.
Jujur, awalannya kaget karena cepet banget pace-nya, habis itu menjelang pertengahan melambat, habis itu gas pol. Alasan kenapa Ari harus menikahi Cleo nggak terlalu kena spotlight. Agak disayangkan sebenarnya, walaupun yah kalau alurnya condong gimana Cleo & Ari merawat si alasan ini jelas bukunya lebih tebal dan mungkin bakal lebih banyak sub-konfliknya.
As always, kalau premis begini nggak begitu suka sama karakter ML-nya yang pemaksa dan marah-marah gak jelas. Untung Cleo nggak ikutan drama pas nanggepin.
Yah, konfliknya nggak ringan tapi pengemasannya lumayan enteng jadi bisa buat selingan pas bosan dengan topik berat.
Caution: pastikan usiamu 21 tahun atau lebih sebelum memutuskan buat baca.
January 19, 2022
Estuvo bien, me entretuvo y porque es Lynne Graham para mi es 3,5 ⭐️
La primera parte es casi un amor de oficina y la segunda parte la encontré más débil y ahora que trato de hacer este review ni me acuerdo bien.
Pero esta escritora me gusta y a diferencia de otras autoras sus libros son faciles de leer y siempre la moral de sus protagonistas femeninas no decepciona.
La primera parte es casi un amor de oficina y la segunda parte la encontré más débil y ahora que trato de hacer este review ni me acuerdo bien.
Pero esta escritora me gusta y a diferencia de otras autoras sus libros son faciles de leer y siempre la moral de sus protagonistas femeninas no decepciona.
August 27, 2023
Sooooooo tired of these sleazy playboys who don’t even have the manners and upbringing and can’t keep their dirty business separated from the heroine.
The heroine her is the usual clueless unlucky virgin LG who accepts a sort of moc with the manwhore hero because of the lil orphaned niece, that is the only nice thing in the book.
They have chemistry, its true, but honestly, its a bit trite and out of place this thing that is underlined each time, repeatedly. That is, we have to read through all the book and many times, of how gorgeous and sexy and billionaire the hero is, and how sexy, unattainable, stunning his women are, Victoria secrets gorgeous, that is, so every normal woman in the world feels that she’s shit in comparison with one of them, imagine how she could feel with a army of them. No thank you sir. I don’t like to read that the hero wonder how he can feel so attracted to the heroine even if she’s just the opposite of his usual women, not model thin, not classy, not self assured. Why? Why a woman’s value must all revolve around looks, that more often than not especially nowadays, are contrive and plastic false? It’s demeaning.
I don’t care if he was more attracted to her than to his usual models, it’s written as if he has some kind of bug, that is oh my god, I can’t stop lusting after the curvy lil hippy who works downstairs, how can it be, it must be something I hate some days ago…
It’s not ok. Not now, not anymore.
And then he invites many of his past lovers to his wedding. Wtf? So the heroine could see with her own eyes their pitying glances and their flirtatious ways with the hero knowing he’s been at one time inside all of them, probably in more than one hole. Sorry if I’m crude but this is the reality. And when the heroine makes him notice he’s quite offended. No respect for her. No regards for her feelings, for her dignity. What a hick. Ignorant and crude. It’s true. Money doesn’t make a gentleman.
Jesus, give me a honest bank clerk all the time, I don’t know if I can survive married to such a bastard sob, or maybe if he can survive married to me since I would probably terminate him on our wedding night.
Then there’s a pregnancy scare one week into their wedding. With another woman, one he had sex maybe the day before meeting the heroine. So the heroine leaves for some days because she is upset. I would have murdered him on the spot. Of course it wasn’t his but it makes me understand what a sleazy scumbag he was and has been.
And he was quite angry because of the heroine’s reaction. The heroine was almost apologizing to him for not being gracious enough. Not a thought again for her feelings. It’s as if it’s her duty to accept all the shit he throws her way, repeatedly.
No sorry. I can’t accept it. Not an ounce of shame or remorse for his whoring ways. I read some old school books where heroes regretted their previous lifestyle in the end, and they were old books with a lot of chauvinism inside. In one of them the hero actually told the heroine he regretted not to be a virgin like she was, how sweet. Not here though. Now, in 2023, I must be happy with this shit. Sorry not sorry.
For me it was angsty because I can’t accept this doormat level.
The heroine her is the usual clueless unlucky virgin LG who accepts a sort of moc with the manwhore hero because of the lil orphaned niece, that is the only nice thing in the book.
They have chemistry, its true, but honestly, its a bit trite and out of place this thing that is underlined each time, repeatedly. That is, we have to read through all the book and many times, of how gorgeous and sexy and billionaire the hero is, and how sexy, unattainable, stunning his women are, Victoria secrets gorgeous, that is, so every normal woman in the world feels that she’s shit in comparison with one of them, imagine how she could feel with a army of them. No thank you sir. I don’t like to read that the hero wonder how he can feel so attracted to the heroine even if she’s just the opposite of his usual women, not model thin, not classy, not self assured. Why? Why a woman’s value must all revolve around looks, that more often than not especially nowadays, are contrive and plastic false? It’s demeaning.
I don’t care if he was more attracted to her than to his usual models, it’s written as if he has some kind of bug, that is oh my god, I can’t stop lusting after the curvy lil hippy who works downstairs, how can it be, it must be something I hate some days ago…
It’s not ok. Not now, not anymore.
And then he invites many of his past lovers to his wedding. Wtf? So the heroine could see with her own eyes their pitying glances and their flirtatious ways with the hero knowing he’s been at one time inside all of them, probably in more than one hole. Sorry if I’m crude but this is the reality. And when the heroine makes him notice he’s quite offended. No respect for her. No regards for her feelings, for her dignity. What a hick. Ignorant and crude. It’s true. Money doesn’t make a gentleman.
Jesus, give me a honest bank clerk all the time, I don’t know if I can survive married to such a bastard sob, or maybe if he can survive married to me since I would probably terminate him on our wedding night.
Then there’s a pregnancy scare one week into their wedding. With another woman, one he had sex maybe the day before meeting the heroine. So the heroine leaves for some days because she is upset. I would have murdered him on the spot. Of course it wasn’t his but it makes me understand what a sleazy scumbag he was and has been.
And he was quite angry because of the heroine’s reaction. The heroine was almost apologizing to him for not being gracious enough. Not a thought again for her feelings. It’s as if it’s her duty to accept all the shit he throws her way, repeatedly.
No sorry. I can’t accept it. Not an ounce of shame or remorse for his whoring ways. I read some old school books where heroes regretted their previous lifestyle in the end, and they were old books with a lot of chauvinism inside. In one of them the hero actually told the heroine he regretted not to be a virgin like she was, how sweet. Not here though. Now, in 2023, I must be happy with this shit. Sorry not sorry.
For me it was angsty because I can’t accept this doormat level.
January 26, 2025
A polarizing Lynne Graham novel. You'll really like this or hate it LOL.
This one was lacking in the angst but I still enjoyed this story. LG has been writing probably longer than I have been alive and she proves that she still knows how to create those swoon moments in a novel with this book. This hero Ari does display some of the possessive, somewhat forceful nature of her past Heroes, but anyone who has read LG's 90s/00s books knows that this story is light work. It was a nice audiobook while I had a few hours to kill. I like the sorta grumpy/sunshine nature between the two characters and the "meet cute" of a corporate retreat where the heroine, Cleo, made one clumsy disaster after another. Overall, would recommend depending on what readers are in mood for.
This one was lacking in the angst but I still enjoyed this story. LG has been writing probably longer than I have been alive and she proves that she still knows how to create those swoon moments in a novel with this book. This hero Ari does display some of the possessive, somewhat forceful nature of her past Heroes, but anyone who has read LG's 90s/00s books knows that this story is light work. It was a nice audiobook while I had a few hours to kill. I like the sorta grumpy/sunshine nature between the two characters and the "meet cute" of a corporate retreat where the heroine, Cleo, made one clumsy disaster after another. Overall, would recommend depending on what readers are in mood for.
hq-to-read
March 14, 2022Her boss needs a wife…
…and she’s the perfect candidate!
Receptionist Cleo’s attraction to billionaire Ari Stefanos is a fiercely kept secret. Until one sizzling night it’s deliciously exposed! Still, she knows that their passion can’t—shouldn’t—last. If the past has taught her anything, it’s that you can’t make somebody love you.
After discovering his father’s hidden family, Ari found solace in sweet Cleo’s arms… Now, in order to adopt his orphaned niece, he needs to marry. Caring Cleo ticks every box for Ari’s bride-to-be…if only their connection didn’t make their convenient marriage so inconveniently complicated!
…and she’s the perfect candidate!
Receptionist Cleo’s attraction to billionaire Ari Stefanos is a fiercely kept secret. Until one sizzling night it’s deliciously exposed! Still, she knows that their passion can’t—shouldn’t—last. If the past has taught her anything, it’s that you can’t make somebody love you.
After discovering his father’s hidden family, Ari found solace in sweet Cleo’s arms… Now, in order to adopt his orphaned niece, he needs to marry. Caring Cleo ticks every box for Ari’s bride-to-be…if only their connection didn’t make their convenient marriage so inconveniently complicated!
January 29, 2022
Very good start
This is the 1st book in the series and it didn’t disappoint. The H just found out that his deceased father had another family, 3 other children who had been left. His brother was dead and had left a baby behind. The h was working for the H, they were attracted to each other. The h is a beautiful, sweet and kind person who is also very honest. The H asked the h to marry him so he could adopt his niece. Along the way they fell in love with each other. Great epilogue. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
This is the 1st book in the series and it didn’t disappoint. The H just found out that his deceased father had another family, 3 other children who had been left. His brother was dead and had left a baby behind. The h was working for the H, they were attracted to each other. The h is a beautiful, sweet and kind person who is also very honest. The H asked the h to marry him so he could adopt his niece. Along the way they fell in love with each other. Great epilogue. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
March 10, 2022
Enjoyable, but typical
I would recommend all of Ms Grahams stories with few exceptions. Her heroines are not pushovers except when it comes to the hero typically tall dark and of course handsome. This formula works for me, gives me a delightful couple of hours, the epilogues of Lynne Grahams books are wonderful and bring her stories to a very satisfying conclusion. Love your work.
I would recommend all of Ms Grahams stories with few exceptions. Her heroines are not pushovers except when it comes to the hero typically tall dark and of course handsome. This formula works for me, gives me a delightful couple of hours, the epilogues of Lynne Grahams books are wonderful and bring her stories to a very satisfying conclusion. Love your work.
June 9, 2023
4.5 stars
This is a good read. I enjoyed the Ari and Cleo and their romance. I was swept away into their world and I enjoyed the visit. They are both strong, determined, caring, relatable characters. Opposites who make each other better. They’ve been affected by their parents’ history and together figure out how to come out the other side, stronger.
The narrator did a good job – was easy to understand and follow.
This is a good read. I enjoyed the Ari and Cleo and their romance. I was swept away into their world and I enjoyed the visit. They are both strong, determined, caring, relatable characters. Opposites who make each other better. They’ve been affected by their parents’ history and together figure out how to come out the other side, stronger.
The narrator did a good job – was easy to understand and follow.
March 16, 2022
I went into this with low expectations, but this book was terrible. It felt like it was written 30 years ago. There was no connection between the characters, and the plot point that Cleo needs to pretend to be in a relationship with Ari so that he can adopt his half-sister's daughter was laughable.
May 11, 2022
Promoted to the Greek's Wife
Cleo introduction to Ark was not stellar. She had let his current ex into his office. But after a short time she finds herself in his bed. Their own past revelations held them apart for a while. When he needed help she was the one he turned to. This is a typical HP but with new angst in it.
Cleo introduction to Ark was not stellar. She had let his current ex into his office. But after a short time she finds herself in his bed. Their own past revelations held them apart for a while. When he needed help she was the one he turned to. This is a typical HP but with new angst in it.
July 22, 2022
It was so refreshing to read this book, Ari is probably my most liked HP hero, asides from the scene where he decided to invite his ex’s as they were still friends and couldn’t see why Cleo wasn’t down for that *face palm*
Safety: OW Stalks Ari and later put in a paternity claim against him, it’s not his kid.
Safety: OW Stalks Ari and later put in a paternity claim against him, it’s not his kid.
September 2, 2022
Enjoyable, light-hearted read. I got it on a deal from Chirp, but don't think I would've purchased it. Very standard, predictable romance. There're a few instances where the drama/tension could have been dealt better. Cleo forgives Ari too quickly in a few instances (like the wedding and the fake pregnancy), but good, mindless entertainment while doing chores.
November 6, 2022
I have a love/hate relationship with LG books but this one weighs heavily on the side of love. The characters were both strong willed and basically pragmatic. No insta-love or even insta-lust. It was enemies to lovers but with a strong foundation of friendship. HPs can sometimes seem rushed but I like the flow of this one. Solid 4 star book.
February 11, 2023
I finished this but it is not good. LG has slipped so much since her wonderful Bond of Hatred. This story is paint by numbers plot and h and H wrapped around a lot of sex. No emotional connection between characters or to us readers.
Writing style is not up to LG standards and is about a 6th grade reading level.
Writing style is not up to LG standards and is about a 6th grade reading level.
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