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Darker Fire
She would have done anything to get this job
Caroline hadn't meant to deceive Barrett Rossiter into thinking she was married and had a child, but if that was the price she had to pay for the job she so desperately needed, she'd pretend to be anything.
She had to support Stacy, and protect her at all costs.
And she had to continue lying to Barrett, if only to prevent him from finding out the shameful truth about her private life....
Caroline hadn't meant to deceive Barrett Rossiter into thinking she was married and had a child, but if that was the price she had to pay for the job she so desperately needed, she'd pretend to be anything.
She had to support Stacy, and protect her at all costs.
And she had to continue lying to Barrett, if only to prevent him from finding out the shameful truth about her private life....
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
1 person is currently reading
84 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 15, 2016
You know, I'm guessing this would have been a five star read for me if I hadn't been interrupted a million times while I was trying to read it. I won't know for sure because the full impact of reading it the first time won't be possible. What I'm trying to say, in short, is that this story packs an emotional punch - regardless of interruptions.
Trigger warnings: abuse of a child/domestic abuse
The story opens with the heroine desperate for a job so she can have full custody of her seven year-old sister. Her emotionally abused, depressed mother died six month before, leaving the seven year-old in the dubious of care of her abusive, drunk stepfather. The job is personal assistant/secretary to the hero, director of a big company in Denver. Heroine has put herself through college and is qualified, but the HR director thinks she's too beautiful to be around the hero, a known womanizer. Hero shows up as heroine is leaving interview, and he flirts with heroine. Heroine loses her temper because he won't get out of her way and she trips over him. Both are physically attracted (we get the hero's thoughts), but heroine "don't have time for that" and she resents any soft feelings that would make her vulnerable.
The next scene is heroine visiting her sister and we see the monster that is the stepfather. Heroine is despairing because she thinks hero kept her from getting job. However, a letter shows up and she's in. She goes early on the first day and explores the office. Hero catches her in his chair, twirling around. She thinks he some junior executive and tries to send him packing. They share a kiss. Pregnant secretary, whom heroine is replacing shows up and calls heroine "Mrs." (Heroine wears her mother's wedding ring to her father). Hero is enraged that heroine is married. She doesn't deny it because she doesn't want an affair with the hero no matter how attracted. Hero then treats her badly for the next two weeks.
Whew. This one is intense - and I know if I hadn't been interrupted, I would have gone on the roller coaster ride without a critical thought. Recovering from childhood abuse just isn't that simple - and this book might offend/trigger/hurt someone with a similar background. As a thematic device, however, it works wonderfully. Everyone in this story suffered from excessive love - channeled in the wrong way. The excessive love of the heroine's mother and father wrought tragedy, but the excessive love of H/h finally won out because they actually communicated. Is this story romantic? Or manipulative? Probably a bit of both - but it's a memorable read.
This book is available at Open Library, but there a few paragraphs that are a little mangled.
Trigger warnings: abuse of a child/domestic abuse
The story opens with the heroine desperate for a job so she can have full custody of her seven year-old sister. Her emotionally abused, depressed mother died six month before, leaving the seven year-old in the dubious of care of her abusive, drunk stepfather. The job is personal assistant/secretary to the hero, director of a big company in Denver. Heroine has put herself through college and is qualified, but the HR director thinks she's too beautiful to be around the hero, a known womanizer. Hero shows up as heroine is leaving interview, and he flirts with heroine. Heroine loses her temper because he won't get out of her way and she trips over him. Both are physically attracted (we get the hero's thoughts), but heroine "don't have time for that" and she resents any soft feelings that would make her vulnerable.
The next scene is heroine visiting her sister and we see the monster that is the stepfather. Heroine is despairing because she thinks hero kept her from getting job. However, a letter shows up and she's in. She goes early on the first day and explores the office. Hero catches her in his chair, twirling around. She thinks he some junior executive and tries to send him packing. They share a kiss. Pregnant secretary, whom heroine is replacing shows up and calls heroine "Mrs." (Heroine wears her mother's wedding ring to her father). Hero is enraged that heroine is married. She doesn't deny it because she doesn't want an affair with the hero no matter how attracted. Hero then treats her badly for the next two weeks.
Whew. This one is intense - and I know if I hadn't been interrupted, I would have gone on the roller coaster ride without a critical thought. Recovering from childhood abuse just isn't that simple - and this book might offend/trigger/hurt someone with a similar background. As a thematic device, however, it works wonderfully. Everyone in this story suffered from excessive love - channeled in the wrong way. The excessive love of the heroine's mother and father wrought tragedy, but the excessive love of H/h finally won out because they actually communicated. Is this story romantic? Or manipulative? Probably a bit of both - but it's a memorable read.
This book is available at Open Library, but there a few paragraphs that are a little mangled.
January 11, 2021
Not bad, though Patricia Wilson did the trope of “the hero rescues his abused secretary” better in Perilous Refuge.
March 15, 2016
Really enjoyed this.
January 18, 2021
Tear-jerker angstfest due to incredibly silly MC's misunderstandings and miscommunication.
July 21, 2017
3.75 stars for the first 70% of the story maybe 3.25 stars for the rest.
The quick summary is that the h lies – or should I say, allows the H to believe that h is married because h needed to get a job which had that requirement. As always attraction and wild feelings ensues however h has so much turmoil in her personal life that this creates a lot of misunderstandings and problems.
I loved the first 70% of the book. I found their first H/h meeting hilarious. H was totally attracted and seemingly head over heels which is how I like em. We have the appropriate angst between the two and even more so on the H’s part. H really loves the h (yay!) It was EXTREMELY sweet that he still checked on her despite their aborted lurvescene. However my rating is lowered for the last 30% of the book – I felt it dragged just a tiny bit after they got married and it became a little too much for me to take – on the H’s side. Maybe I was drowning in the super sappiness of the H. I felt the “reveal” of the H’s feelings/thoughts and how it was done – it felt too much, felt too much (!) I mean H was talking to his baby for a long arse time about the “truth” and I’m like, no way, how convenient that the h’s there to hear alllll of it! I’m not mad at the H at all, just felt it was just toooo sickeningly sweet and unbelievable to me LOL. The ending also seemed a little too abrupt and rushed hence my double ratings. 3.75 for the first half and possibly 3.25 for the rest of it.
The quick summary is that the h lies – or should I say, allows the H to believe that h is married because h needed to get a job which had that requirement. As always attraction and wild feelings ensues however h has so much turmoil in her personal life that this creates a lot of misunderstandings and problems.
I loved the first 70% of the book. I found their first H/h meeting hilarious. H was totally attracted and seemingly head over heels which is how I like em. We have the appropriate angst between the two and even more so on the H’s part. H really loves the h (yay!) It was EXTREMELY sweet that he still checked on her despite their aborted lurvescene. However my rating is lowered for the last 30% of the book – I felt it dragged just a tiny bit after they got married and it became a little too much for me to take – on the H’s side. Maybe I was drowning in the super sappiness of the H. I felt the “reveal” of the H’s feelings/thoughts and how it was done – it felt too much, felt too much (!) I mean H was talking to his baby for a long arse time about the “truth” and I’m like, no way, how convenient that the h’s there to hear alllll of it! I’m not mad at the H at all, just felt it was just toooo sickeningly sweet and unbelievable to me LOL. The ending also seemed a little too abrupt and rushed hence my double ratings. 3.75 for the first half and possibly 3.25 for the rest of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2020
This was okay, maybe 3.5. I wouldnt rate it a 4 because I doubt I would read it again.
The angst level in this one is high, very high. It has graphic physical abuse of the heroine by her stepfather. The Hero rescues her, but the heroine has gone though a lot, plus the mental abuse of fearing that her little sister is also at the mercy of their evil stepfather.
The heroine marries the hero because he can protect her and she can have custody of her little sister. She secretly loves him, but keeps it to herself. The hero is very enigmatic and keeps his cards close to his chest, so though the heroine is safely married to him, the tension levels in the marriage are high.
There are a lot of clues that the Hero is also in love w the heroine, and a few over the top scenes to convey his true feelings. The whole story hinges on the couple’s inability to communicate properly with each other.
In the end all is cleared up, and the reader can breathe a sigh of relief.
The angst level in this one is high, very high. It has graphic physical abuse of the heroine by her stepfather. The Hero rescues her, but the heroine has gone though a lot, plus the mental abuse of fearing that her little sister is also at the mercy of their evil stepfather.
The heroine marries the hero because he can protect her and she can have custody of her little sister. She secretly loves him, but keeps it to herself. The hero is very enigmatic and keeps his cards close to his chest, so though the heroine is safely married to him, the tension levels in the marriage are high.
There are a lot of clues that the Hero is also in love w the heroine, and a few over the top scenes to convey his true feelings. The whole story hinges on the couple’s inability to communicate properly with each other.
In the end all is cleared up, and the reader can breathe a sigh of relief.
October 21, 2019
4.5 stars
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August 20, 2021Started reading this book with great expectations, considering the rave reviews.
I’ve read about a third of the book and so far, the heroine is being mentally and physically tortured by the stepfather on weekends, with the hero taking over this task on weekdays. The hero thinks she’s married but goes ahead and grabs her, kisses her, and bites her lip until she bleeds. All this with no encouragement from her!
Despite this, I’m steadfastly determined to finish the book if only to figure out what would redeem this book.
Update:
Now that I’m done reading the entire book, I found it to be an ok read. I loved the scene where the hero meets the heroine's little sister. Brought tears to my eyes.
I’ve read about a third of the book and so far, the heroine is being mentally and physically tortured by the stepfather on weekends, with the hero taking over this task on weekdays. The hero thinks she’s married but goes ahead and grabs her, kisses her, and bites her lip until she bleeds. All this with no encouragement from her!
Despite this, I’m steadfastly determined to finish the book if only to figure out what would redeem this book.
Update:
Now that I’m done reading the entire book, I found it to be an ok read. I loved the scene where the hero meets the heroine's little sister. Brought tears to my eyes.
not-for-me
May 25, 2022She would have done anything to get this job
Caroline hadn't meant to deceive Barrett Rossiter into thinking she was married and had a child, but if that was the price she had to pay for the job she so desperately needed, she'd pretend to be anything.
She had to support Stacy, and protect her at all costs.
And she had to continue lying to Barrett, if only to prevent him from finding out the shameful truth about her private life....
Caroline hadn't meant to deceive Barrett Rossiter into thinking she was married and had a child, but if that was the price she had to pay for the job she so desperately needed, she'd pretend to be anything.
She had to support Stacy, and protect her at all costs.
And she had to continue lying to Barrett, if only to prevent him from finding out the shameful truth about her private life....
October 27, 2022
What a skilled writer Morgan Patterson is. I wonder why he/she only has two books on her/his name.
It was a really good read. I don’t give this 5 stars because she begs him to make love to her, which made me cringe, and because she is the first to say ‘I love you’.
And most of all, because this H is not a man I would want for myself like for instance Helen Brooks’ H’s, lol.
It was a really good read. I don’t give this 5 stars because she begs him to make love to her, which made me cringe, and because she is the first to say ‘I love you’.
And most of all, because this H is not a man I would want for myself like for instance Helen Brooks’ H’s, lol.
July 5, 2020
I loved this book but it will NOT be a re-read for me EVER :(
I wish, I wish, I wish in vain but this HEA happens to women in the h's situation seldom ever and it makes me sad knowing this with certainty. It gives hope where there isn't much.
I wish, I wish, I wish in vain but this HEA happens to women in the h's situation seldom ever and it makes me sad knowing this with certainty. It gives hope where there isn't much.
October 8, 2023
This was an emotional ride but a good story.
lIked it.
Though some of the issues were just swept off like H accusing the h once of trying to seduce him for his money etc
The abuse n stuff was horrible, good that asshole got killed.
StMargarets has better and detailed review for the same.
lIked it.
Though some of the issues were just swept off like H accusing the h once of trying to seduce him for his money etc
The abuse n stuff was horrible, good that asshole got killed.
StMargarets has better and detailed review for the same.
January 29, 2021
tw/cw:
g-slur, abuse, victim blaming (unchallenged), fatphobia,
g-slur, abuse, victim blaming (unchallenged), fatphobia,
October 30, 2022
These people needed to talk!! I took off star due to his aggression knowing she was recently physically abused.
February 11, 2017
This author doesn’t know anything about human psychology and feelings. If she did she wouldn’t create a man who was a self-confident, extremely intelligent, hardworking, self-made millionaire with a drive became pathetically stupid and self-doubting man who couldn’t believe his wives’ passion and love for him.
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May 10, 2011might have 2 copies
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews