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Temporary Husband
She needed a permanent love
Kate had been practically engaged to a charming young Frenchman when she learned that another man held a temporary lease on her future.
Apparently, wealthy film director Blake Templeton had been financing her family's colossal debts for years. And before her father's death an arrangement had been made for Blake to become Kate's husband in name only, until Kate was old enough to know her own mind.
Kate couldn't see what Blake stood to gain from such an unsatisfactory arrangement, since he'd always had his pick of the world's most glamorous women on his terms... without marriage.
Kate had been practically engaged to a charming young Frenchman when she learned that another man held a temporary lease on her future.
Apparently, wealthy film director Blake Templeton had been financing her family's colossal debts for years. And before her father's death an arrangement had been made for Blake to become Kate's husband in name only, until Kate was old enough to know her own mind.
Kate couldn't see what Blake stood to gain from such an unsatisfactory arrangement, since he'd always had his pick of the world's most glamorous women on his terms... without marriage.
189 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1985
5 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Susan Alexander
154 books19 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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December 26, 2015
re Temporary Husband- this book could not be written today. Not that the writing is bad or the rape scene is atrocious. There is a rape in this one, in case you were wondering, but since this is HPlandia and they are married - the h blows it off as "these things happen". But more on that later.
The reason this book couldn't be written today is that the H is 36 to the h's 17- her father sold her to the H in marriage to make sure that his wayward wife (whom he met when she was 16 and he was 38 and married when she was 17,) has financial support for the rest of her life. What really does it tho, is that the H confesses at the end that he has been "sexually obsessed" with her since she was 14 and she inadvertently fell on him when she was on a ladder and he knocked her off. The dad knew it, and kept them separate until he died, when he supposedly agreed to the H marrying her.
(This 14 year vs older 20's or 30's male has been done four times, Jacqueline Baird did it in Dishonourable Proposal, Charlotte Lamb did it in both Forbidden Fireand Seductive Stranger. However only CL in FF and now SA in TH have the underage h actually marrying a man over 35. The other two men were attracted but waited until the ladies were in their twenties. It made me uncomfortable 30 years ago, it hasn't gotten any better over time.)
When the wife, (h's mum) turned 30, she left the h's dad and needed lots of cash to finance her lifestyle. The dad was at the end of his earning career so he borrowed tons of money from his friend, the H and sold all of his assets to support her. When he knew the end was near, he told the H and the H offered financial security for the ex-wife and to pay for art school for the h. She wants to be a sculptor and prior to her dad's death had been living in Paris and studying.
She also has a 24 year old French winery heir who wants to marry her, but he needs his grandmere's permission. They are working on getting the GM approval when the h's dad dies, she is called home and informed that she has to marry the H. The h is pretty disgusted she has looked upon the H as an uncle for years and is not interested. The ex-wife shows up and she is more evil than Cruela de Ville - the H offers the h a job in his next movie (he is big time film producer/director). He is doing a movie about a lady artist and the h can do all the art involved - but she has to marry him.
She eventually agrees when he tells her it will be for 6 months or so, when she turns 18 and goes to art school - then they will get an annulment and she will have her expenses and school paid for. She writes to her boyfriend, then goes to the film set with the H. There is lots of arguing and the H is never around, it is assumed that he is having an affair with one of the actresses or possibly one of the crew. Needless to say there is a lot of tension and when the h's former boyfriend shows up, she finds he isn't all that she though he was and while he insinuates he wants an affair, she just isn't attracted anymore.
After the film wrap party, where the H saves the h from attack by a drunken guest, the h offers herself on a plate to the H and he thinks about it. The next day he tells her she can go, but she manages to seduce him that night. She is happy and ready to devote herself to the magic lurve club forevah, but the evil mum shows up and tells the h that the H has been having an affair with her for years. She divorced the h's dad to be with him and now he wants her to go so that they can hitch it up.
The h is pretty shocked and she leaves. She gets a job as an art technician in a London school, find out she is preggers, has a still birth at five months and then runs into the H again when she sneaks in to see the film premier. He is angry and drags her back to his house and forces her to live with him. He also forces the h's mum to confess that she lied and never had an affair with the H and he was never going to marry her. Supposedly she chased and he kicked her to the curb. The h keeps a studio on the side and sneaks out a lot to work on her art. When the studio roof develops a leak, she is called away from a big party by her landlord and the H is furious. She is working all night to clean up the mess and when she returns to the H's home, he rapes her.
She takes off the next day and then a few weeks later the H shows up. He makes his big pervy confession with an avowal of true lurve and of course the h is overwhelmed and avows her true lurve back and we get the sorta dubious HEA. I think we are supposed to be assured that they will make it cause supposedly they have matching high sex drives which her mum and dad apparently didn't - but that seemed a pretty thin line to hang a lifetime on. Presumably the sex drives of the mum and dad matched at one point, but age does creep up on everyone and Viagra wouldn't be available for another 23 years.
Overall it isn't a badly written book at all, there is angst fest train wrecking galore, the mileage mainly depends on how comfortable the reader is with the 14 year old being an object of desire of a man over 35 and then being married to the instigator of that desire three years later.
I also have a difficulty believing that there was nothing going on between the H and the mum. She was EXACTLY his type by all accounts and I can't help wondering why he would agree to support her pricey lifestyle otherwise. Then there is the rape which upsets the h enough to leave him, again, but is later blown off as "these things happen'. They may indeed happen but usually jail sentences are involved. I couldn't seem to find the mind space to believe in the HEA after all of that.
One or two of the above could be worked with but the snowballing accumulation of all the really weird things in this book left me in a so-so judgement. However there are several very high ratings on Goodreads so as always in HPlandia - your mileage may vary.
The reason this book couldn't be written today is that the H is 36 to the h's 17- her father sold her to the H in marriage to make sure that his wayward wife (whom he met when she was 16 and he was 38 and married when she was 17,) has financial support for the rest of her life. What really does it tho, is that the H confesses at the end that he has been "sexually obsessed" with her since she was 14 and she inadvertently fell on him when she was on a ladder and he knocked her off. The dad knew it, and kept them separate until he died, when he supposedly agreed to the H marrying her.
(This 14 year vs older 20's or 30's male has been done four times, Jacqueline Baird did it in Dishonourable Proposal, Charlotte Lamb did it in both Forbidden Fireand Seductive Stranger. However only CL in FF and now SA in TH have the underage h actually marrying a man over 35. The other two men were attracted but waited until the ladies were in their twenties. It made me uncomfortable 30 years ago, it hasn't gotten any better over time.)
When the wife, (h's mum) turned 30, she left the h's dad and needed lots of cash to finance her lifestyle. The dad was at the end of his earning career so he borrowed tons of money from his friend, the H and sold all of his assets to support her. When he knew the end was near, he told the H and the H offered financial security for the ex-wife and to pay for art school for the h. She wants to be a sculptor and prior to her dad's death had been living in Paris and studying.
She also has a 24 year old French winery heir who wants to marry her, but he needs his grandmere's permission. They are working on getting the GM approval when the h's dad dies, she is called home and informed that she has to marry the H. The h is pretty disgusted she has looked upon the H as an uncle for years and is not interested. The ex-wife shows up and she is more evil than Cruela de Ville - the H offers the h a job in his next movie (he is big time film producer/director). He is doing a movie about a lady artist and the h can do all the art involved - but she has to marry him.
She eventually agrees when he tells her it will be for 6 months or so, when she turns 18 and goes to art school - then they will get an annulment and she will have her expenses and school paid for. She writes to her boyfriend, then goes to the film set with the H. There is lots of arguing and the H is never around, it is assumed that he is having an affair with one of the actresses or possibly one of the crew. Needless to say there is a lot of tension and when the h's former boyfriend shows up, she finds he isn't all that she though he was and while he insinuates he wants an affair, she just isn't attracted anymore.
After the film wrap party, where the H saves the h from attack by a drunken guest, the h offers herself on a plate to the H and he thinks about it. The next day he tells her she can go, but she manages to seduce him that night. She is happy and ready to devote herself to the magic lurve club forevah, but the evil mum shows up and tells the h that the H has been having an affair with her for years. She divorced the h's dad to be with him and now he wants her to go so that they can hitch it up.
The h is pretty shocked and she leaves. She gets a job as an art technician in a London school, find out she is preggers, has a still birth at five months and then runs into the H again when she sneaks in to see the film premier. He is angry and drags her back to his house and forces her to live with him. He also forces the h's mum to confess that she lied and never had an affair with the H and he was never going to marry her. Supposedly she chased and he kicked her to the curb. The h keeps a studio on the side and sneaks out a lot to work on her art. When the studio roof develops a leak, she is called away from a big party by her landlord and the H is furious. She is working all night to clean up the mess and when she returns to the H's home, he rapes her.
She takes off the next day and then a few weeks later the H shows up. He makes his big pervy confession with an avowal of true lurve and of course the h is overwhelmed and avows her true lurve back and we get the sorta dubious HEA. I think we are supposed to be assured that they will make it cause supposedly they have matching high sex drives which her mum and dad apparently didn't - but that seemed a pretty thin line to hang a lifetime on. Presumably the sex drives of the mum and dad matched at one point, but age does creep up on everyone and Viagra wouldn't be available for another 23 years.
Overall it isn't a badly written book at all, there is angst fest train wrecking galore, the mileage mainly depends on how comfortable the reader is with the 14 year old being an object of desire of a man over 35 and then being married to the instigator of that desire three years later.
I also have a difficulty believing that there was nothing going on between the H and the mum. She was EXACTLY his type by all accounts and I can't help wondering why he would agree to support her pricey lifestyle otherwise. Then there is the rape which upsets the h enough to leave him, again, but is later blown off as "these things happen'. They may indeed happen but usually jail sentences are involved. I couldn't seem to find the mind space to believe in the HEA after all of that.
One or two of the above could be worked with but the snowballing accumulation of all the really weird things in this book left me in a so-so judgement. However there are several very high ratings on Goodreads so as always in HPlandia - your mileage may vary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2018
When there are a variety of dissenting opinions on a book, I have to torture myself read it. Unfortunately.
Cussing ensues…
Plot:
Heroine is placed in a MOC at 17 with her father’s 36 year old friend in order to protect the h’s mother and the h.
Review:
It would be easy to toss out that the h is TSTL, but she’s 17. S-E-V-E-N-fucking-T-E-E-N when she’s forced into a MOC with the so-called hero. She’s engaged to a French guy.
Well, we all know what that means. Monsieur Practical visits her, talks about the plain but besotted chick his grandmere wants him to marry and disappears forever into the mist of HP.
The H both ignores her and strong arms her and basically takes over her S-E-V-E-N-T-E-E-N year old life, making her work on his movie and other caca.
They finally have cataclysmic sex, and he’s gone the next morning leaving her open to her vile, viperous, mother-fucking mother who implies she and the H are muy, muy simpatico which is why she left the h’s dad to marry another man because she and the H were in love. I know. I didn't get it either. (I will say this about the heroine. She can not stand her mother and makes no bones about it.)
The h leaves to trudge on alone, but she’s not alone as the H left her with a little present that she miscarries. She’s, what, all of 18 by now.
The H finds her and they fall back in bed, but having more than the one synapse normally extended to HP heroines she keeps her own art studio to work in. While at a fancy function where it’s all about the H, the h gets a call that her artwork is at risk and rushes to rescue it. The H assumes she is having hot sex with a lover when she arrives back home in jeans and a sweatshirt. He punishes her by raping her.
She leaves again, but her mother calls her and explains that she was lying about the affair with the H. Nice moment as the mother is getting fat and puffy so, yeah babee, kharma!
Sadly, the H and h get back together.
Why such a low rating? She’s freaking 18 at the end of the book. The age difference doesn’t bother me. The father selling her out to the perv who lusted after her at 14 did bother me especially when Pops does it because he's so concerned about his wife who abandoned him and the h. The rape didn’t even bother me…THAT MUCH. What did bother me is this poor chick has gone from her father’s house, is sold into a MOC at 17, is now under the spell of the incredibly experienced and self-centered pervy H, and it’s all okay because he knows better and he’s been in love with her since she was 14.
This was published in 1985!
This reminds me of the movie Inside Daisy Clover where the young and beautiful Natalie Wood gets sucked into the studio system and is used and abused by handsome men who pretend to love her.
Thevictim and her first love
The child bride
Thevictim child bride and the much older H
Cussing ensues…
Plot:
Heroine is placed in a MOC at 17 with her father’s 36 year old friend in order to protect the h’s mother and the h.
Review:
It would be easy to toss out that the h is TSTL, but she’s 17. S-E-V-E-N-fucking-T-E-E-N when she’s forced into a MOC with the so-called hero. She’s engaged to a French guy.
Well, we all know what that means. Monsieur Practical visits her, talks about the plain but besotted chick his grandmere wants him to marry and disappears forever into the mist of HP.
The H both ignores her and strong arms her and basically takes over her S-E-V-E-N-T-E-E-N year old life, making her work on his movie and other caca.
They finally have cataclysmic sex, and he’s gone the next morning leaving her open to her vile, viperous, mother-fucking mother who implies she and the H are muy, muy simpatico which is why she left the h’s dad to marry another man because she and the H were in love. I know. I didn't get it either. (I will say this about the heroine. She can not stand her mother and makes no bones about it.)
The h leaves to trudge on alone, but she’s not alone as the H left her with a little present that she miscarries. She’s, what, all of 18 by now.
The H finds her and they fall back in bed, but having more than the one synapse normally extended to HP heroines she keeps her own art studio to work in. While at a fancy function where it’s all about the H, the h gets a call that her artwork is at risk and rushes to rescue it. The H assumes she is having hot sex with a lover when she arrives back home in jeans and a sweatshirt. He punishes her by raping her.
She leaves again, but her mother calls her and explains that she was lying about the affair with the H. Nice moment as the mother is getting fat and puffy so, yeah babee, kharma!
Sadly, the H and h get back together.
Why such a low rating? She’s freaking 18 at the end of the book. The age difference doesn’t bother me. The father selling her out to the perv who lusted after her at 14 did bother me especially when Pops does it because he's so concerned about his wife who abandoned him and the h. The rape didn’t even bother me…THAT MUCH. What did bother me is this poor chick has gone from her father’s house, is sold into a MOC at 17, is now under the spell of the incredibly experienced and self-centered pervy H, and it’s all okay because he knows better and he’s been in love with her since she was 14.
This was published in 1985!
This reminds me of the movie Inside Daisy Clover where the young and beautiful Natalie Wood gets sucked into the studio system and is used and abused by handsome men who pretend to love her.
The
The child bride
The
December 27, 2025
Now this is the kind of HP I love. This one is a roller coaster ride of angst and drama, not letting up for a minute. Hero offers way-too-young-for-him (17!)heroine a temporary marriage after her father dies.
June 14, 2024
This is an Epic Trainwreck with a typhoon and an avalanche on top, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The reason why is the badass bitch heroine who comes out as the winner against all her enemies at the conclusion of the book. The "hero" on the other hand is a walking, talking, dried up piece of turd that stuck to the bottom of heroine's shoe: a real schmuck! BUT, he's HER schmuck, and they both know it and accept it.
The story is about a contrived marriage between a young woman and an older man who was a friend of her father's. He convinces her that they ought to marry for “convenience” and she reluctantly agrees. Subsequently, the hero makes her life hell. He is suffocatingly possessive of her while at the same time, he is surrounded by a bevvy of worshipping females, and he is always undermining his wife' confidence and sense of self-worth by acting all superior and arrogant. Heroine's own mother reveals herself to be an evil bitch who is in lust with her son-in-law and jealous of her own daughter. There is a marital rape scene that is shocking even by Harlequin standards. It is awful, painful, and makes the "hero" totally irredeemable in the eyes of this reader. Yet the heroine found her way to forgiving him and she did not do it out of weakness but because she pitied him lol.
The author wrote very plausibly about the background and psychological makeup of the heroine, what made her who she is, and how she could withstand all the knocks life had given her. She was raised by wolves. Her dad was too busy being obsessed with his selfish, entitled, narcissist wife to care for his daughter's well-being. The black widow mother actively did everything she could to destroy her own daughter. Her husband manipulated her and pushed her into a relationship she wasn't ready for when she was young and innocent. They all could have pretty much ruined her entire life. Some people would crumble under that treatment. But Heroine is one of the few who survived and thrived despite such unhappy beginnings.
She learned to find self-worth and happiness by becoming independent, having a rich internal life, and succinct goals. I know so many real life examples of people who have been dealt horrible cards in their childhood and came out on top. Heroine was one of them. Heroine really needed a backbone for this story to work for me and the author fully delivered. She definitely showed that spine of steel throughout even if she was in turmoil on the inside.
Despite her young age, and her traitorous body moments, she was no naive ninny. She could read people astutely, then coolly and calmly write them off when she recognized their toxicity. This included her wussy would-be fiance OM, her awful mother, and the awfuler hero. Harleyland is littered with evil moms and cheating bastard husbands and the simpering dumb-dumbs who are forever seeking their approval, so this was refreshing because the heroine called them out and was willing and able to cut ties with them.
Having the Cruella De Slut mother grovel to her daughter in the end, and the daughter, cool as a cucumber, leave her sprawled out on her sofa, newly fat and puffy because she is so depressed at her life crumbling around her that she has been eating her feelings, and is even now waiting to gorge herself on more fattening pastries, had the streak of cruelty that I just adore in my comeuppance. Heroine also handled all her husband's pathetic, panting OW wannabes with classy aplomb, turning the tables on them instead of letting them humiliate her.
Last but not least, it was very satisfying that she made the arrogant hero grovel. She was prepared to walk away as in fact she had done several times before, and the hero knew it so he finally confessed to his weakness and under-handness instead of trying to gaslight her. The author concluded the book with a strong impression that hero would be putty at heroine's feet for the rest of his miserable life, and if the heroine is happy to tolerate this pitiful specimen, warts and all, then I have to be happy for her. She is not going to end up some meek little mouse littered with children while he is off directing movies and having affairs with starlets. In fact, I think once she becomes a fully realized artist, she will surpass the hero in every way, professionally, socially, and emotionally.
So, in conclusion, lots of angst but it was suitably balanced by a good grovel, good comeuppance, and a heroine with a backbone who overcame all her nemesis, including the hero, with a cool, logical ruthlessness that is usually associated with OWs. She made this book a highly enjoyable and unusual read for me.
Feel free to disagree!
The story is about a contrived marriage between a young woman and an older man who was a friend of her father's. He convinces her that they ought to marry for “convenience” and she reluctantly agrees. Subsequently, the hero makes her life hell. He is suffocatingly possessive of her while at the same time, he is surrounded by a bevvy of worshipping females, and he is always undermining his wife' confidence and sense of self-worth by acting all superior and arrogant. Heroine's own mother reveals herself to be an evil bitch who is in lust with her son-in-law and jealous of her own daughter. There is a marital rape scene that is shocking even by Harlequin standards. It is awful, painful, and makes the "hero" totally irredeemable in the eyes of this reader. Yet the heroine found her way to forgiving him and she did not do it out of weakness but because she pitied him lol.
The author wrote very plausibly about the background and psychological makeup of the heroine, what made her who she is, and how she could withstand all the knocks life had given her. She was raised by wolves. Her dad was too busy being obsessed with his selfish, entitled, narcissist wife to care for his daughter's well-being. The black widow mother actively did everything she could to destroy her own daughter. Her husband manipulated her and pushed her into a relationship she wasn't ready for when she was young and innocent. They all could have pretty much ruined her entire life. Some people would crumble under that treatment. But Heroine is one of the few who survived and thrived despite such unhappy beginnings.
She learned to find self-worth and happiness by becoming independent, having a rich internal life, and succinct goals. I know so many real life examples of people who have been dealt horrible cards in their childhood and came out on top. Heroine was one of them. Heroine really needed a backbone for this story to work for me and the author fully delivered. She definitely showed that spine of steel throughout even if she was in turmoil on the inside.
Despite her young age, and her traitorous body moments, she was no naive ninny. She could read people astutely, then coolly and calmly write them off when she recognized their toxicity. This included her wussy would-be fiance OM, her awful mother, and the awfuler hero. Harleyland is littered with evil moms and cheating bastard husbands and the simpering dumb-dumbs who are forever seeking their approval, so this was refreshing because the heroine called them out and was willing and able to cut ties with them.
Having the Cruella De Slut mother grovel to her daughter in the end, and the daughter, cool as a cucumber, leave her sprawled out on her sofa, newly fat and puffy because she is so depressed at her life crumbling around her that she has been eating her feelings, and is even now waiting to gorge herself on more fattening pastries, had the streak of cruelty that I just adore in my comeuppance. Heroine also handled all her husband's pathetic, panting OW wannabes with classy aplomb, turning the tables on them instead of letting them humiliate her.
Last but not least, it was very satisfying that she made the arrogant hero grovel. She was prepared to walk away as in fact she had done several times before, and the hero knew it so he finally confessed to his weakness and under-handness instead of trying to gaslight her. The author concluded the book with a strong impression that hero would be putty at heroine's feet for the rest of his miserable life, and if the heroine is happy to tolerate this pitiful specimen, warts and all, then I have to be happy for her. She is not going to end up some meek little mouse littered with children while he is off directing movies and having affairs with starlets. In fact, I think once she becomes a fully realized artist, she will surpass the hero in every way, professionally, socially, and emotionally.
So, in conclusion, lots of angst but it was suitably balanced by a good grovel, good comeuppance, and a heroine with a backbone who overcame all her nemesis, including the hero, with a cool, logical ruthlessness that is usually associated with OWs. She made this book a highly enjoyable and unusual read for me.
Feel free to disagree!
December 10, 2013
This is one of those vintage, high intensity, fraught filled HPs that had all the usual tropes that I hate, (young virginal heroine that can't think beyond her raging hormones) but surprisingly I ended up enjoying it.
However, this one should come with a warning label.
However, this one should come with a warning label.
October 14, 2021
Intense, angsty old-skool HP with some elements that have not aged well! . Unless you're a hardened reader of vintage HPs, probably not going to get past those things, but the sustained drama and intensity of this coming-of-age story wrapped in an MoC with benefits trope (complete with a fine example of a Dementor mother out to wreak havoc) is very well done (for what it is). The heroine is buffeted by the melodramatic happenings but manages to come through it all better than the hero does. The hard-won HEA may leave some readers doubtful but I thought SA pulled it off. Not for everyone but for hardened voyagers of 80s HPs and Robyn Donald fans, this ticks all the high-drama boxes.
March 3, 2025
4.5 stars — Well, this had all the dramarama that brings me back to vintage harlequins over and over. 🤣. Yes it’s super cringe with the 17 year old heroine. Yes the hero straight up r@pes the heroine and even calls it that in his remorse. Yes he’s weirdly cold and aloof and *absent*, even though he claims to have loved her for years… which is also super cringe… but gosh darn it… I still loved it. The only things that make it a 4.5 star and not a full 5 star is that I wanted more of a comeuppance for the evil OW/wicked mother and that OW who kisses him full on the mouth the first time he takes the h out. I was also irritated about how long it takes for the hero to find her and that he kept leaving her after they had sex…. Yes it’s explained later, but it seems like an odd thing for a grown man to do… leave his teenage inexperienced bride to wake up alone and vulnerable. He seemed smarter than that 🤷🏼♀️
Anyway - this was very vintage harlequin in all the ways I love. 🫣💕
Anyway - this was very vintage harlequin in all the ways I love. 🫣💕
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2013
Nothing like a good old fashioned forced marriage, May-December, besotted hero, angsty rape scene, evil mother with designs on hero, generally over the top romance.
Once upon a time I may have been embarrassed to say I loved this story. I'm probably some sick, sad person who gets their kicks from the most un-PC of story lines. All the same, the hero suffered, the heroine suffered, they loved passionately and desperately. What more could you ask for?
I picked this to read because of the May-December trope and a little bit because some of the reviews mentioned the rape scene. Seems like these old fashioned heroine's kind of like that they can get these cool self controlled heroes all hot and bothered and totally lose control. As you do.
A good quick read with lots of angst.
Once upon a time I may have been embarrassed to say I loved this story. I'm probably some sick, sad person who gets their kicks from the most un-PC of story lines. All the same, the hero suffered, the heroine suffered, they loved passionately and desperately. What more could you ask for?
I picked this to read because of the May-December trope and a little bit because some of the reviews mentioned the rape scene. Seems like these old fashioned heroine's kind of like that they can get these cool self controlled heroes all hot and bothered and totally lose control. As you do.
A good quick read with lots of angst.
May 18, 2019
I've read it on the plane and liked it very much but don't remember why. Probably because h has a backbone and H was cruel. Lol
November 7, 2021
Mega-intense. The H was vile but definitely obsessed with the h. The h got tougher and tougher throughout the book as she rallied from his cruelties. A memorable read -- not romantic, but a portrait of obsession.
June 22, 2022
This was an okay read. She is a 17-year old school girl, he is a 36-year old millionaire.
After her father dies and leaves her with nothing but debts, he says there is an agreement between him and her father that he would marry the h and take care of her and her mother. So the h marries him.
After the marriage ceremony with the H, she kissed some guy named Earl, she kissed her (former) fiancé and she kissed another guy whose name I’ve forgotten. It seemed like she would kiss any other guy than the H.
The H rapes her one night. Afterwards she brushes it off lightly by saying things like that happen.
After her father dies and leaves her with nothing but debts, he says there is an agreement between him and her father that he would marry the h and take care of her and her mother. So the h marries him.
After the marriage ceremony with the H, she kissed some guy named Earl, she kissed her (former) fiancé and she kissed another guy whose name I’ve forgotten. It seemed like she would kiss any other guy than the H.
The H rapes her one night. Afterwards she brushes it off lightly by saying things like that happen.
November 14, 2023
OMG where to begin?
With the in his 30's H lusting after a 14 year old?
With the h considering him an uncle not marriage material?
With his smitten self blackmailing the h into marriage on her fathers deathbed?
With him raping her and causing major physical damage?
The god awful mother getting no comeuppance?
While this book hit loads of major no no's for me at the same time I couldn't help but like it. The H does recognise his pervy tendencies when he realises he fancies a 14 year old and he makes every effort to keep away from her for a while (with her dads help). You can tell he is completely and utterly smitten by his h and if she would have realised the power she had over him she would have had him wrapped around her little finger.
Once he marries her he is totally faithful and laps up every ounce of affection she throws his way every now and again and although he was wrong to force his h into marriage this is HPlandia and blackmail marriages are totally acceptable. She however is in love with another man and she does seem to genuinely like the OM and lust after him slightly and you can tell this hurts the H greatly.
Because this is HPlandia though love magic is in the air and she suddenly develops a case of the lusts for our H and the OM is no more.
They have a night of grand passion then her complete and utter cow of a mother turns up and ruins their happiness by telling the h a bunch of fibs. This is even more awful as when she confesses her sins at the end she admits she did it because the H looked so genuinely happy and youthful. This made me really, really sad as all the bad things that happen between the H & h can now squarely be blamed on the evil mother who has zero love for her only child.
We then have a kind of skipped over chapter where the h is getting her life back together, finds out shes pregnant then loses her baby at 5 1/2 months and becomes depressed until meeting the H again.
I'm forgiving the h the slap she gave the H she was under a massive amount of grief and trauma at the time. I'm forgiving the H his rather icky and pervy lusting after the 14 year old h because he owned it and recognised its wrongness. We have to remember the book was written in the early 80's and clearly romance readers wanted pervier, rapey H's back then. This would be utterly intolerable in todays lineup. I'm deducting the H a star for his attack on the h. He genuinely hurt her and caused damage that was still visible a week later. So often these episodes seem to cause no lasting damage either physically or mentally to our old skool h's but here SA mentions the bruising he left behind and the genuine discomfort she suffered because of it. He completely admits that he did was wrong and calls it what it is rather than trying to make out she wanted it really so I'm not totally hating on him. I blame her mother because he would have been so happy running away with his h and bunking off work for a fairytale HEA.
A rather angsty wreck of a read but a guilty pleasure nonetheless. God knows what will happen in the future with these 2 he really is old enough to be her father!
With the in his 30's H lusting after a 14 year old?
With the h considering him an uncle not marriage material?
With his smitten self blackmailing the h into marriage on her fathers deathbed?
With him raping her and causing major physical damage?
The god awful mother getting no comeuppance?
While this book hit loads of major no no's for me at the same time I couldn't help but like it. The H does recognise his pervy tendencies when he realises he fancies a 14 year old and he makes every effort to keep away from her for a while (with her dads help). You can tell he is completely and utterly smitten by his h and if she would have realised the power she had over him she would have had him wrapped around her little finger.
Once he marries her he is totally faithful and laps up every ounce of affection she throws his way every now and again and although he was wrong to force his h into marriage this is HPlandia and blackmail marriages are totally acceptable. She however is in love with another man and she does seem to genuinely like the OM and lust after him slightly and you can tell this hurts the H greatly.
Because this is HPlandia though love magic is in the air and she suddenly develops a case of the lusts for our H and the OM is no more.
They have a night of grand passion then her complete and utter cow of a mother turns up and ruins their happiness by telling the h a bunch of fibs. This is even more awful as when she confesses her sins at the end she admits she did it because the H looked so genuinely happy and youthful. This made me really, really sad as all the bad things that happen between the H & h can now squarely be blamed on the evil mother who has zero love for her only child.
We then have a kind of skipped over chapter where the h is getting her life back together, finds out shes pregnant then loses her baby at 5 1/2 months and becomes depressed until meeting the H again.
I'm forgiving the h the slap she gave the H she was under a massive amount of grief and trauma at the time. I'm forgiving the H his rather icky and pervy lusting after the 14 year old h because he owned it and recognised its wrongness. We have to remember the book was written in the early 80's and clearly romance readers wanted pervier, rapey H's back then. This would be utterly intolerable in todays lineup. I'm deducting the H a star for his attack on the h. He genuinely hurt her and caused damage that was still visible a week later. So often these episodes seem to cause no lasting damage either physically or mentally to our old skool h's but here SA mentions the bruising he left behind and the genuine discomfort she suffered because of it. He completely admits that he did was wrong and calls it what it is rather than trying to make out she wanted it really so I'm not totally hating on him. I blame her mother because he would have been so happy running away with his h and bunking off work for a fairytale HEA.
A rather angsty wreck of a read but a guilty pleasure nonetheless. God knows what will happen in the future with these 2 he really is old enough to be her father!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2016
The sleaze, rapist and pedo slime was too strong with this hero.
And I didn't buy that nothing happened between her mother and him; women don't get divorced because they have a crush on someone else, nor does said crush feel they must atone by providing financial security for her and her child. Also why did the girl, who had the silver, lycra jumpsuit on, feel confident enough to tell h exactly what the hero enjoys in bed and how she has been giving it to him, in front of him?
And I didn't buy that nothing happened between her mother and him; women don't get divorced because they have a crush on someone else, nor does said crush feel they must atone by providing financial security for her and her child. Also why did the girl, who had the silver, lycra jumpsuit on, feel confident enough to tell h exactly what the hero enjoys in bed and how she has been giving it to him, in front of him?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2013
Very angsty, intense older HP. I liked that you could tell that the hero was head-over-heels with the immature young heroine. I liked heroine's evil mother and her machinations and how the heroine matured towards the end of the story. Very entertaining read!
August 19, 2014
I like the idea of the book but there were so many things that irked my focking soul...the age gap between the heroine and hero and there is a gottdamn all out rape scene that the dumb ass heroine tries to minimise so big old cry baby hero wouldn't be sad about it, check this:
I mean what the actual fuq man?!?
The h is 17 to the H 36, what is up with these authors pairing little girls with grown ass men old enough to be their mother's side dish? Its almost perverse to me...hell at least let them be 18 thats supposed to be the age of consent innit?
Then old dude proceeds to tell the h how he's been lusting after her since she was 14 years old (gag). I really dont see HEA for this couple because the H looks like he got some issues with distinguishing lust from love and the h is just a straight up ninny.
I give it 2 stars because I liked the premise but not necessairly the details....happy reading.
I mean what the actual fuq man?!?
The h is 17 to the H 36, what is up with these authors pairing little girls with grown ass men old enough to be their mother's side dish? Its almost perverse to me...hell at least let them be 18 thats supposed to be the age of consent innit?
Then old dude proceeds to tell the h how he's been lusting after her since she was 14 years old (gag). I really dont see HEA for this couple because the H looks like he got some issues with distinguishing lust from love and the h is just a straight up ninny.
I give it 2 stars because I liked the premise but not necessairly the details....happy reading.
February 11, 2016
Sick just sick. Hero admits to getting turned on by 14 year old girl when she fell on top of him. Now at 17 she is married to him and when he got mad at her, instead of listening to her explanation, he rapes her. His assault is so brutal that it is painful for her to walk the next day and she has vivid bruises on her thighs. Captain obvious' response " Did I do that?". Disgusting book, rape is never romantic. Read on openlibrary.com
November 8, 2019
Kate was studying abroad and in a serious relationship with a French man whom she was almost engaged to when she was told her beloved father had died. She was never close to her mother and knew little of her father's business. When she discovered they were broke long time ago and that her father's friend, Blake, was financing their business and her education she was devastated, but she was shocked to the roots to discover that her father and mother had planned to wed her to Blake. She has always seen Blake as an uncle figure and noway she would look at him as a husband.
The story is unbelievable! The heroine is 17 years old and the hero is 36!! A 19 years old gap!! He forces her to marry him because of his obsession of her from an early age!! Her father agrees to wed her because he was in the same situation with her mother as her mother was 17 and he himself was 35 when they got married and had her! Woooow!!! He claims to love her, yet gets so suspicious of her after some time, and without giving her a chance to defend herself, he rapes her!! Another disgusting WOOOW. :(
A hateful hero and an immature heroine. Not one I would like to read again. It ruins the mood.
The story is unbelievable! The heroine is 17 years old and the hero is 36!! A 19 years old gap!! He forces her to marry him because of his obsession of her from an early age!! Her father agrees to wed her because he was in the same situation with her mother as her mother was 17 and he himself was 35 when they got married and had her! Woooow!!! He claims to love her, yet gets so suspicious of her after some time, and without giving her a chance to defend herself, he rapes her!! Another disgusting WOOOW. :(
A hateful hero and an immature heroine. Not one I would like to read again. It ruins the mood.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2013
Angsty older HP. Extremely young heroine with an older hero who has apparently loved her or at least been "sexually obsessed" with her for a long time. I was in the mood for this kind of story, so I liked it. Be prepared for pretty much a full-on rape, which the characters happily both call a rape and apparently think is amusing later on. Aside from that though, this was simple and angsty with a lot of tension-inducing complications before the hero and heroine finally get together. Good read if you're in the mood for it.
February 20, 2016
I was a little confused at first as to how it would work out being that she loved the French guy but after his visits when she married the hero it was obvious that it was just a fling. I hated that she lost the baby and that her mother got away with murder since she was the reason why she has lost the baby. I was upset by his cold behaviour when she told him..how could he? She just loved him and took it but I wanted him to put more of a show of emotions as to the lost of her and the baby. This is why it lost one star.
August 27, 2016
What a train wreak !!
February 25, 2024
I think of its type/trope I'd probably rate this a 4 but I'm not comfortable drawing a veil over an age gap of this size (17 to 38) and the fact that he confessed he (a very sexually experienced film director) had been lusting after her since she was 14. Different times, I know, but. There's also a no holds barred marital rape. If you can put these things aside (my god the things we vintage HP addicts put aside) then the story is a rollicking read. Some lovely film location action in the south of France with all the mid C20th film coterie glamour, a sickening OW/mother, hints of chronic infidelity and some very dubious fashions (leather trousers and cravat combo on the H anyone?) young Kate came of age beautifully and held her own against craggy old Blake. Who knows if it will last. Bonus point for h sculpting a bust of the H, revealing her love. Eat your heart out Lionel Ritchie.
September 8, 2025
Heroine (17-18) get brainwashed by manwhore director who gets routinely jealous despite allowing his ex lover to live in the same house as the newly wed main characters (and said woman comments on his bed behaviour to the heroine). Oh and cuddling the slut film technician whilst she wears next to nothing and comments on his sexual prowess in a room full of other slutty film people at a party (the heroine’s 18th!). Rarely has a ‘hero’ been more repulsive. That’s before we even get the rape of his wife when they get back together after 6 months - so bad she could not walk properly for days. But hey it is ok, because he used to feel lonely during sex until he had the heroine?!?!??!??!
Two stars because the heroine had backbone at various points in the timeline. But this is tacky in the extreme.
Two stars because the heroine had backbone at various points in the timeline. But this is tacky in the extreme.
July 24, 2021
These are always fun to come back to, they were so popular back then and I use to read at least 4-5 a week, between babies feedings, naps, and life as a new mom.
They kept me sane..till I read my first BR Sweet Savage Love By Rosemary Rogers.
Then I got lost in the BR world!
But, these were my "first's" and I still love to read them...back then I would have given a 4-5 star to most of them.
But now, they are so tame and a 3 star is generous.
They are a quick fast read!
The arrogant male still remains though in today's romances Lol!
They kept me sane..till I read my first BR Sweet Savage Love By Rosemary Rogers.
Then I got lost in the BR world!
But, these were my "first's" and I still love to read them...back then I would have given a 4-5 star to most of them.
But now, they are so tame and a 3 star is generous.
They are a quick fast read!
The arrogant male still remains though in today's romances Lol!
December 5, 2017
Even though h didn't get the real reason behind it despite the marriage was necessity (!) on flimsy bases, and also they hardly communicated at all almost the entire book I, still, enjoyed this book.
November 2, 2021
The H was actually kind of creepy
October 15, 2019
She needed a permanent love
Kate had been practically engaged to a charming young Frenchman when she learned that another man held a temporary lease on her future.
Apparently, wealthy film director Blake Templeton had been financing her family's colossal debts for years. And before her father's death an arrangement had been made for Blake to become Kate's husband in name only, until Kate was old enough to know her own mind.
Kate couldn't see what Blake stood to gain from such an unsatisfactory arrangement, since he'd always had his pick of the world's most glamorous women on his terms... without marriage.
Kate had been practically engaged to a charming young Frenchman when she learned that another man held a temporary lease on her future.
Apparently, wealthy film director Blake Templeton had been financing her family's colossal debts for years. And before her father's death an arrangement had been made for Blake to become Kate's husband in name only, until Kate was old enough to know her own mind.
Kate couldn't see what Blake stood to gain from such an unsatisfactory arrangement, since he'd always had his pick of the world's most glamorous women on his terms... without marriage.
April 21, 2022
Read after another Susan Alexander that I enjoyed. This one I did not, I had the ick with the age difference and what was essentially grooming of a 17 year old. The H wasn't likeable and I greatly disliked the marital rape scene and the h's easy forgiveness of it. I don't know why the author chose to include a scene that sees the h struggling to walk and bruised in the aftermath. Not romantic or passionate in the least, no man needs to lose control like this to show how much he loves someone.
Overall disappointing. The author can write well and there was potential in the storyline, but just couldn't get past the h age, the age gap and the unlikeable H.
Overall disappointing. The author can write well and there was potential in the storyline, but just couldn't get past the h age, the age gap and the unlikeable H.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2013
I've read this one before but had to again. It has to be one of the most dramatic vintage harlequins I have ever had the pleasure to read.
October 12, 2014
Good read but the H didn't show his alpha male, possessive, crazy for the h mentality till after 60%. Wish it wasn't so late in the story.
December 3, 2018
La relación entre Blake y Kath me agradó.
Blake es un hombre que a simple vista no se puede saber qué tipo de pensamientos tiene, se necesita conocerlo muy a fondo como para poder comprender el porqué de sus actitudes.
Kate es una joven enamoradiza, sensible y muy inteligente, sabe lo que quiere y me alegro mucho que no se rinda por conseguir sus sueños. A lo largo de la historia, a pesar de ser corta, se puede ver lo mucho que maduró y es algo que aprecio de su personaje.
La madre de Katherine es una persona de lo más detestable, jamás me gustó. Es una persona muy avariciosa y egoísta, solo le hizo daño a su ex marido y a su hija, no permitía que nadie fuera feliz.
Me agradó que Blake dejara en claro sus sentimientos por Kath, era necesario para poder crear la confianza de pareja. La diferencia de edades en esta historia es algo grande, Kate se casa con 17 años y Blake cuenta con 36.
Hubo una escena no muy grata en la historia, no entraré en detalles pero yo jamás quisiera que me hicieran algo así, me sentiría como un trapo sucio.
“—Sí gatita, así será. Y no te avergüences de tus lágrimas. Tu padre merecía que uno llorara por él.”
“—Tienes un... regalo para el hombre que... un día amarás. Y no es algo de lo que debas desprenderte a la ligera.”
Blake es un hombre que a simple vista no se puede saber qué tipo de pensamientos tiene, se necesita conocerlo muy a fondo como para poder comprender el porqué de sus actitudes.
Kate es una joven enamoradiza, sensible y muy inteligente, sabe lo que quiere y me alegro mucho que no se rinda por conseguir sus sueños. A lo largo de la historia, a pesar de ser corta, se puede ver lo mucho que maduró y es algo que aprecio de su personaje.
La madre de Katherine es una persona de lo más detestable, jamás me gustó. Es una persona muy avariciosa y egoísta, solo le hizo daño a su ex marido y a su hija, no permitía que nadie fuera feliz.
Me agradó que Blake dejara en claro sus sentimientos por Kath, era necesario para poder crear la confianza de pareja. La diferencia de edades en esta historia es algo grande, Kate se casa con 17 años y Blake cuenta con 36.
Hubo una escena no muy grata en la historia, no entraré en detalles pero yo jamás quisiera que me hicieran algo así, me sentiría como un trapo sucio.
“—Sí gatita, así será. Y no te avergüences de tus lágrimas. Tu padre merecía que uno llorara por él.”
“—Tienes un... regalo para el hombre que... un día amarás. Y no es algo de lo que debas desprenderte a la ligera.”
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