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You Can Love a Stranger
Maddie couldn't forget his voice.
One midnight, the stranger's thrillingly masculine voice spoke on Maddie's phone-in radio show. She was intrigued, but she cut him off, acting by instinct.
The next morning, as a favor to her boss, Con Osborne, Maddie went to meet his estranged wife at the Osborne home. But instead of Mrs. Osborne, Maddie was startled to find handsome Zachary Nash — the owner of the spellbinding voice.
The usually self-possessed Maddie behaved like a breathless idiot near him. He was everything she'd ever wanted in a man. Unfortunately he was the one man she couldn't have — or trust.
One midnight, the stranger's thrillingly masculine voice spoke on Maddie's phone-in radio show. She was intrigued, but she cut him off, acting by instinct.
The next morning, as a favor to her boss, Con Osborne, Maddie went to meet his estranged wife at the Osborne home. But instead of Mrs. Osborne, Maddie was startled to find handsome Zachary Nash — the owner of the spellbinding voice.
The usually self-possessed Maddie behaved like a breathless idiot near him. He was everything she'd ever wanted in a man. Unfortunately he was the one man she couldn't have — or trust.
187 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Lamb
261 books316 followersSheila Ann Mary Coates Holland
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 28, 2021
In a small, picturesque seaside English town, a popular local nighttime DJ gets unwittingly embroiled in her boss's contentious divorce from his beautiful wife and his lifelong feud with his half-brother, who he suspects of having an affair with said wife. The half-brother, who is the hero of this piece, has an instant attraction to the DJ and his own suspicions that SHE is carrying out an affair with her boss. Sprinkled on top is a sub-plot about the DJ being stalked and attacked, but that goes nowhere. I guess it was an excuse for the "hero" to come to her rescue like a knight in shining armor. This is cluster mess of epic proportions with Great Big terrible Misunderstandings and Gaslighting galore. Worse than that, despite all the wtf plot points, it was quite boring. I never felt chemistry between the protagonists that Charlotte Lamb is usually so good at creating. The so-called hero was a master of lying by omission and gaslighting. The boss and his wife were nonentities. The heroine was well-drawn, with a good background story (ugly duckling to her older, glamorous sister), a good backbone (she told off everyone in the story at some point, and some of them more than once lol), and fundamentally a nice person so it was a shame that she got such a ho-hum "romance."
Currently reading
September 27, 2008Absolutely terrible. I am enjoying it immensely.
September 10, 2024
It’s all a bit silly. The h’s employer is the half-brother of the H. The H thinks the h is in love with her married employer. Both the married employer and the h think that the H is in love with the employer’s wife.
January 9, 2020
I really liked this one ! It was silly in parts, quite pointless for a big part, I admit. But still the characters were adorable in their silliness and impulsive behaviour.
The heroine is the best portrayed character in the story. She is a smart career woman, working night shift as a popular radio jockey. That itself wins her some points from me! Her job, her intrigue and attraction for the stranger hero, her mind and heart being at war, her crazy misconceptions, her sagely and sensible advice to the OM/OW. Maddie was a packet full of energy, life and surprises. I loved her!
The guy is quite likeable too. Crazily attracted to Maddie from the first moment. But always playing cat and mouse with her because his insecurity and love for her are at constant conflict. When he is not scowling at her, he is damn cute :)
The OM and OW make a mark too. They are the hero'es half brother and his wife. Their crazy marital squabbles are the basis for the entire confusion and conflict.
Its not a mere love triangle, its a proper messy foursome. At least that's what the guy and girl believe !!
I liked the pace, the subtle humour, the ardent romancing, the dialogues, the sexy hero and above all the mad cap heroine!!! It's plain as day light to us readers who loves whom, but the dim wits take a good 200 pages to figure it out. I am not complaining, I had fun at their expense ;)
The heroine is the best portrayed character in the story. She is a smart career woman, working night shift as a popular radio jockey. That itself wins her some points from me! Her job, her intrigue and attraction for the stranger hero, her mind and heart being at war, her crazy misconceptions, her sagely and sensible advice to the OM/OW. Maddie was a packet full of energy, life and surprises. I loved her!
The guy is quite likeable too. Crazily attracted to Maddie from the first moment. But always playing cat and mouse with her because his insecurity and love for her are at constant conflict. When he is not scowling at her, he is damn cute :)
The OM and OW make a mark too. They are the hero'es half brother and his wife. Their crazy marital squabbles are the basis for the entire confusion and conflict.
Its not a mere love triangle, its a proper messy foursome. At least that's what the guy and girl believe !!
I liked the pace, the subtle humour, the ardent romancing, the dialogues, the sexy hero and above all the mad cap heroine!!! It's plain as day light to us readers who loves whom, but the dim wits take a good 200 pages to figure it out. I am not complaining, I had fun at their expense ;)
May 9, 2021
A bland Charlotte Lamb novel? Whatever is the world coming to. I enjoyed reading You Can Love a Stranger but kept waiting for some of Lamb's usual fireworks/fruitcake train wrecks and there was none of that. Even the OM and OW were muted and rather obviously imaginary and the she and he found each other all too easily.
All those other characters who can't seem to set the record straight or who chicken out when it's time to speak up should read one snippet here. I love it: "You're obsessed with your half brother, I'm not! Look, get this into your head - I am not in love with Con. I have never been in love with Con. I have never even remotely felt I might be in love with Con. There's nothing between us, never has been, never will be." Now that's telling him!
All those other characters who can't seem to set the record straight or who chicken out when it's time to speak up should read one snippet here. I love it: "You're obsessed with your half brother, I'm not! Look, get this into your head - I am not in love with Con. I have never been in love with Con. I have never even remotely felt I might be in love with Con. There's nothing between us, never has been, never will be." Now that's telling him!
September 24, 2019
Maddie couldn't forget his voice
One midnight, the stranger's thrillingly masculine voice spoke on Maddie's phone-in radio show. She was intrigued, but she cut him off, acting by instinct.
The next morning, as a favor to her boss, Con Osborne, Maddie went to meet his estranged wife at the Osborne home. But instead of Mrs. Osborne, Maddie was startled to find handsome Zachary Nash - the owner of the spellbinding voice.
The usually self-possessed Maddie behaved like a breathless idiot near him. He was everything she'd ever wanted in a man. Unfortunately he was the one man she couldn't have - or trust.
One midnight, the stranger's thrillingly masculine voice spoke on Maddie's phone-in radio show. She was intrigued, but she cut him off, acting by instinct.
The next morning, as a favor to her boss, Con Osborne, Maddie went to meet his estranged wife at the Osborne home. But instead of Mrs. Osborne, Maddie was startled to find handsome Zachary Nash - the owner of the spellbinding voice.
The usually self-possessed Maddie behaved like a breathless idiot near him. He was everything she'd ever wanted in a man. Unfortunately he was the one man she couldn't have - or trust.
August 20, 2022
Very poorly written. Lots of mistakes that should have been edited. The plot was good but the author just didn’t have the gift of words. The writing was just too plain, no creativity. There were words used that just did not belong to the topic.
I did like two parts:
Maddie just agreed to watch her nieces and nephew for her sister Penny.
Penny: “Oh, you are an angel!”
Maddie: “I know, you should see my wings!”
Maddie: “Don’t put words into my mouth!”
“My plans for your mouth don’t involve talking”, he said, and kissed her for several minutes without giving her a chance to say a word.
I did like two parts:
Maddie just agreed to watch her nieces and nephew for her sister Penny.
Penny: “Oh, you are an angel!”
Maddie: “I know, you should see my wings!”
Maddie: “Don’t put words into my mouth!”
“My plans for your mouth don’t involve talking”, he said, and kissed her for several minutes without giving her a chance to say a word.
December 17, 2023
I enjoyed most of this book immensely. I took a point off for the heros unresolved issues with his past. Given the time period, men probably weren't required to do any deep dives or self reflection on the junk they shove in the closet. However, the authors insistence that it didn't matter by the end didn't sit well. Irregardless, female radio disc jokey inadvertently pulled into her bosses messy love life. The twists on who loved who and who was who, was certainly enough to leave me eagerly turning the page.
April 8, 2012
Maddie is a late night radio host. Her boss, Con Osbourne, is currently separated from his wife Jill, whom he believes has left him for his half-brother Zachary Nash. Maddie falls for Zachary Nash, and though it becomes clear that Jill is in love with Con, not Zachary, Maddie believes that Zachary is in love with Jill. Meanwhile, Zachary believes that Maddie is in love with Con. It's all a bunch of silly misunderstandings and people making assumptions and not communicating.
The book opens with Maddie on a dinner date with Con. I naturally assumed that this was the hero, and was horrified by the description of him. He is 5'7" with hazel eyes, heavy black brows and blond hair. The reader is assured that he has sex appeal and a vibrant personality, but he just doesn't sound like a romantic hero to me! Imagine my relief upon discovering that the hero is actually his half brother.
On a side note, I don't think we ever actually find out what Maddie's last name is...
This was a nice book. Not particularly passionate or exciting, but it was nice. No annoyingly stupid heroine or needlessly arrogant hero. No angst or over the top jealousy. Just a nice, pleasant read to pass the time.
The book opens with Maddie on a dinner date with Con. I naturally assumed that this was the hero, and was horrified by the description of him. He is 5'7" with hazel eyes, heavy black brows and blond hair. The reader is assured that he has sex appeal and a vibrant personality, but he just doesn't sound like a romantic hero to me! Imagine my relief upon discovering that the hero is actually his half brother.
On a side note, I don't think we ever actually find out what Maddie's last name is...
This was a nice book. Not particularly passionate or exciting, but it was nice. No annoyingly stupid heroine or needlessly arrogant hero. No angst or over the top jealousy. Just a nice, pleasant read to pass the time.
November 11, 2021
Ha! Lamb worked hard trying to come up with scenarios to reach her page quota on this one. However, it was entertaining nevertheless...
June 16, 2016
This absolutely terrible. Oh my god! I can't believe I actually read the whole book. I think the author have a talent but wasted in stupid plot, characters and conflict.
Don't waste your time pick other book by the writer.
Pro: maybe the writing :/ the background about radio small town.
Con: everything. H and h fights over stupid things no devolopment. I like in romance to know why these people fell in love but here! Unreasonable first sight love with lust and fights over all thing in the world. Oh look a fly. Fights.... Oh I feel lust... Fight over feeling lust... Oh I feel in love with you when I see the fly.... HAE
The end.
Don't waste your time pick other book by the writer.
Pro: maybe the writing :/ the background about radio small town.
Con: everything. H and h fights over stupid things no devolopment. I like in romance to know why these people fell in love but here! Unreasonable first sight love with lust and fights over all thing in the world. Oh look a fly. Fights.... Oh I feel lust... Fight over feeling lust... Oh I feel in love with you when I see the fly.... HAE
The end.
February 1, 2015
this was tedious, an absolute disaster! i was simply bored to death! the confusion was so silly, did not even make sense. con and zachary were so against each other dat they were ready to believe their woman wanted the other and not them-self. it was laughable and it gave me a headache!
January 3, 2017
Star Rating: ★★½☆☆
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews