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A Royalty Duo
The Prince's Royal Concubine
Prince Cristiano di Savaré hunts his prey by ruthless means. Tonight's pickings—Antonella Romanelli, crown princess of a rival country and part of a dynasty he has every reason to despise….Antonella is rocked by Cristiano's unexpected magnetism. But there's ice in his wolfish smile…. She's far from the promiscuous, spoiled socialite he believes her to be, but Cristiano is here to persuade her into compliance. If bedding her is what it takes, then it will make his mission all the more pleasurable….
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2010
19 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Raye Harris
348 books2,958 followersLynn Raye Harris is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sizzling military romantic suspense novels and contemporary romance novels. She lives in Alabama with her husband (former military), her cat, and her American Saddlebred horse.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 2, 2010
Cristiano & Antonella are royals from warring countries. He’s the Prince of Monterossa. She’s the Princess of Monteverde. Antonella’s sadistic, gerbil killer daddy managed to bankrupt Monteverde thru’ his reign of terror. Her bro, Dante, just became the king & only has 1 week to repay gazillion loans. Their late father had almost started another calamity after arresting Montebianco’s Crown Princess (another book, I think), so asking for a loan is a no-go. Antonella has no choice but to go for broke. She gotta secure a deal w/ a steel magnate to invest in Monteverde & to sacrifice herself if necessary, but Cristiano is 1 step ahead of her & foils her plan. Her plan goes belly up when Cristiano seals the deal w/ the steel magnate to invest in Monterosso & her country, Monteverde will supply the ore. He offers Antonella a devil’s bargain. She sells her country’s mineral rights to guarantee her loans & he marries her as a show of good faith. Killing 2 birds w/ 1 stone, he also plans to take over Dante’s crown to end the bitter conflict & enforce peace in the region. His 1st wife was a casualty of war & he carries the guilt to this day that he shoulda been there & prevented her premature death if only he’d kept her out that convoy. During an aid mission to the border, a Monteverdian roadside explosive took his wife’s life after only 1 month of marriage. He wasn’t in luv w/ his wife but he cared ‘bout her. He can’t give Antonella more ‘cuz he’s lost the ability to luv after his wife’s tragic death. He’s not gonna go thru’ w/ his wedding once the Monteverdian mines are in his grubby paws. He’s too judgmental & slimy.
Antonella cringes when she thinks Cristiano is about to strike her & that gives him a clue that something went wrong in her childhood & her late abusive daddy was the culprit. She’s also a virgin but has a bad rep thanx to 2 broken engagements : 1st fiance drove off a cliff & the 2nd fiancé dumped her for another chick (got their own story in previous book, if I’m not mistaken). The dude she used to date, spread vicious rumors that she’s an easy lay. Unfortunately, Cristiano believes the rumor mills & takes cheap shots @ her, e.g., :
<< “It means, Principessa, that when you spend much of your time on your back, you can hardly expect to do much sightseeing.” >>
She counter-attacks his stabbing volleys by playing up to the role to the hilt as a defense mechanism, that is, until they actually are on the verge of banging that her purity is revealed. He initially oozed tons of sleazy charms & was as warm as a frostbite. He just wanted to scratch an itch & thought she’s the purrfect candidate for his blue balls. He becomes more sympathetic as he realizes that his perception of her was all wrong, but his character growth was not impressive to me ‘cuz he was planning to break his word & jilt her once the business end’s set in stone. Both H/H acted like martyrs, they’re stuck together @ a villa due to bad weather & acted on their mutual attraction. She was prepared to make herself the sacrificial lamb in saving her country. He’s too cynical, ruthless & cold-blooded & would go to any lengths to trigger a ceasefire between the warring countries. For him, the end justifies the means. I learned from this book that concubine is the new mistress, welcome to the new era ! I was surprised the powers that be didn’t add ‘Virgin’ to the title, but I guess they wanted it to be a nice surprise, but it’s actually revealed @ the v. beginning that she’s not a ho. Just not my cuppa. I wrote a half-assed review & B4 I saved it, suddenly my laptop shut down & I was like #$*@! I re-typed the whole enchilada. If U like damaged H/H w/ martyr-like tendencies & royal prince/s from opposite sides of the tracks, go for it. I don't like politics in my HP. I didn’t like the H/H & the silly plot. Lotsa shop talk ‘bout the investment deals & innumerable mentions of Monterossa, Monteverdian, Montebianco. It’s a typical HP where steely hero has to overcome his aversion to luv & abused heroine learns the hard way that selling herself cheap isn’t gonna pave the road to success. Money is the root of all problems, like they always say & in this case, it’s proven true. It’s not angsty & the ending was too rushed. The writing style was not exquisite enuff to make me wanna hunt down the others. Too much politics & the romance dept suffered, it’s all ‘bout gaining heroine’s co-operation as her last source of possible investment dried up thru’ hero’s machinations. He spent most of the book flogging himself that he owed it to the memory of his wife & other victims, to make sure his plan was well executed w/ no loopholes. The country take-over was a bit much. It just couldn’t sustain my attention & became tiresome.
The concubine on the title was ridiculous & a false advertisement. HQN should stick to the oldies’ titles. She had me @ 'concubine' & I couln't resist adding to WL based on the title alone. The moral of the story is, 'Mistress' is no longer trendy in HPlandia. What's next, 'Royal bitch' instead of 'Virgin' ? Spare me from retarded titles puhleaze =^D
Antonella cringes when she thinks Cristiano is about to strike her & that gives him a clue that something went wrong in her childhood & her late abusive daddy was the culprit. She’s also a virgin but has a bad rep thanx to 2 broken engagements : 1st fiance drove off a cliff & the 2nd fiancé dumped her for another chick (got their own story in previous book, if I’m not mistaken). The dude she used to date, spread vicious rumors that she’s an easy lay. Unfortunately, Cristiano believes the rumor mills & takes cheap shots @ her, e.g., :
<< “It means, Principessa, that when you spend much of your time on your back, you can hardly expect to do much sightseeing.” >>
She counter-attacks his stabbing volleys by playing up to the role to the hilt as a defense mechanism, that is, until they actually are on the verge of banging that her purity is revealed. He initially oozed tons of sleazy charms & was as warm as a frostbite. He just wanted to scratch an itch & thought she’s the purrfect candidate for his blue balls. He becomes more sympathetic as he realizes that his perception of her was all wrong, but his character growth was not impressive to me ‘cuz he was planning to break his word & jilt her once the business end’s set in stone. Both H/H acted like martyrs, they’re stuck together @ a villa due to bad weather & acted on their mutual attraction. She was prepared to make herself the sacrificial lamb in saving her country. He’s too cynical, ruthless & cold-blooded & would go to any lengths to trigger a ceasefire between the warring countries. For him, the end justifies the means. I learned from this book that concubine is the new mistress, welcome to the new era ! I was surprised the powers that be didn’t add ‘Virgin’ to the title, but I guess they wanted it to be a nice surprise, but it’s actually revealed @ the v. beginning that she’s not a ho. Just not my cuppa. I wrote a half-assed review & B4 I saved it, suddenly my laptop shut down & I was like #$*@! I re-typed the whole enchilada. If U like damaged H/H w/ martyr-like tendencies & royal prince/s from opposite sides of the tracks, go for it. I don't like politics in my HP. I didn’t like the H/H & the silly plot. Lotsa shop talk ‘bout the investment deals & innumerable mentions of Monterossa, Monteverdian, Montebianco. It’s a typical HP where steely hero has to overcome his aversion to luv & abused heroine learns the hard way that selling herself cheap isn’t gonna pave the road to success. Money is the root of all problems, like they always say & in this case, it’s proven true. It’s not angsty & the ending was too rushed. The writing style was not exquisite enuff to make me wanna hunt down the others. Too much politics & the romance dept suffered, it’s all ‘bout gaining heroine’s co-operation as her last source of possible investment dried up thru’ hero’s machinations. He spent most of the book flogging himself that he owed it to the memory of his wife & other victims, to make sure his plan was well executed w/ no loopholes. The country take-over was a bit much. It just couldn’t sustain my attention & became tiresome.
The concubine on the title was ridiculous & a false advertisement. HQN should stick to the oldies’ titles. She had me @ 'concubine' & I couln't resist adding to WL based on the title alone. The moral of the story is, 'Mistress' is no longer trendy in HPlandia. What's next, 'Royal bitch' instead of 'Virgin' ? Spare me from retarded titles puhleaze =^D
September 21, 2016
A little paint by the numbers although the author did avoid one sad ole trope: the widower who's bitter about his dead wife's skanky misdeeds with the male population. This widower is bitter but it's because he feels guilty his wife was killed in a bomb blast in a neighboring kingdom.
The story picks up where the H is watching the h, the princess from a neighboring warring kingdom. She apparently is a slut 'cause that's what people say. Funny how the tabloids are always on target with everybody else, but big fat mudslinging liars when it comes to the holier-than-thou, double-standards apply heroes.
The h is damaged goods emotionally due to a very physically abusive father. One of her examples of his abuse is stomach turning `and deals with animals. Ugh. Anyway, her brother is now in charge, and she's trying to get a deal done to help their kingdom stay afloat. The H has the deal in the bag but doesn't let her know. He's rude and cruel and implies she will have se x to get what she wants.
Long story short, they end up secluded in a house trying to get shelter from a hurricane. It's actually slightly more believable than it sounds. They slowly open up to each other and have sex. The H has proposed to her under the guise that they need peace between the countries although HE HAS NO INTENTION OF FOLLOWING THROUGH. He feels a little guilty but not enough for me or the princess.
Princess is pretty much resigned as when has she ever caught a break from the men in her life other her brother.
Apparently the prince can't live without her after a come to Jesus moment when he realises what an fool he was.
A soft three star rating.
The story picks up where the H is watching the h, the princess from a neighboring warring kingdom. She apparently is a slut 'cause that's what people say. Funny how the tabloids are always on target with everybody else, but big fat mudslinging liars when it comes to the holier-than-thou, double-standards apply heroes.
The h is damaged goods emotionally due to a very physically abusive father. One of her examples of his abuse is stomach turning `and deals with animals. Ugh. Anyway, her brother is now in charge, and she's trying to get a deal done to help their kingdom stay afloat. The H has the deal in the bag but doesn't let her know. He's rude and cruel and implies she will have se x to get what she wants.
Long story short, they end up secluded in a house trying to get shelter from a hurricane. It's actually slightly more believable than it sounds. They slowly open up to each other and have sex. The H has proposed to her under the guise that they need peace between the countries although HE HAS NO INTENTION OF FOLLOWING THROUGH. He feels a little guilty but not enough for me or the princess.
Princess is pretty much resigned as when has she ever caught a break from the men in her life other her brother.
Apparently the prince can't live without her after a come to Jesus moment when he realises what an fool he was.
A soft three star rating.
July 9, 2017
Maybe it was the hurricane plot or maybe it was too much political stuff, maybe the OW stuff at the end wasn't necessary. I just can't exactly understand why this ended up not being a five-star for me when I loved Antonella so much (of course I loved Cristiano too).
Nella didn't have a childhood (neither did her brother), the mad king (her father) made sure of that. But still she managed to grow so sweet and so devoted to her country.
I'm a firm believer that if Antonella had the chance to get to know her first fiancé (I forgot his name, just remember that it wasn't pretty) he wouldn't have killed himself, I'm sure she would have helped him, but that's just my mind wandering when I can't sleep.
Also I would have liked that Antonella had at least an interaction with her father, I think she needed that confrontation (with Cristiano present to defend her if things got out of hand) or maybe not, he was so crazy it could have been awful, can't decide xD
About the hurricane, I've got a couple of experiences with them so
Nella didn't have a childhood (neither did her brother), the mad king (her father) made sure of that. But still she managed to grow so sweet and so devoted to her country.
I'm a firm believer that if Antonella had the chance to get to know her first fiancé (I forgot his name, just remember that it wasn't pretty) he wouldn't have killed himself, I'm sure she would have helped him, but that's just my mind wandering when I can't sleep.
Also I would have liked that Antonella had at least an interaction with her father, I think she needed that confrontation (with Cristiano present to defend her if things got out of hand) or maybe not, he was so crazy it could have been awful, can't decide xD
About the hurricane, I've got a couple of experiences with them so
February 8, 2019
"The Prince's Royal Concubine" is the story of Antonella and Cristiano.
Our h and H are prince and princess of neighboring, but warring countries. Both desire the partnership of millionaire Raul Vega, and while the h's methods include charm and faux flirting, the H's are much more direct. A hurricane causes the couple to be stranded on a remote villa, where passions ignite, and many secrets are revealed..
Low angst, average romance between a widowed hero, a traumatized heroine, hidden agendas, internal and extrenal conflicts leading to drama, confessions and HEA.
Ofcourse the hero thinks that the heroine is a slut and shames her; he suffers from the guilt of his ex wife's death and the anger towards the heroine's ruthless (dead) father. The h and her brother have gone through a lot under the terror reign of her father, and after two broken engagements, she does not mind putting up a false front. Nature forces them to come together, but when the h realizes the H's real motives, will she ever forgive him?
I've been on a disaster romance roll, thanks to a wonderful GR listopia and this was a good one. Both characters were likable in parts, the lovemaking was ok and the angst mild. Sweet epilogue.
Safe
3.5/5
Our h and H are prince and princess of neighboring, but warring countries. Both desire the partnership of millionaire Raul Vega, and while the h's methods include charm and faux flirting, the H's are much more direct. A hurricane causes the couple to be stranded on a remote villa, where passions ignite, and many secrets are revealed..
Low angst, average romance between a widowed hero, a traumatized heroine, hidden agendas, internal and extrenal conflicts leading to drama, confessions and HEA.
Ofcourse the hero thinks that the heroine is a slut and shames her; he suffers from the guilt of his ex wife's death and the anger towards the heroine's ruthless (dead) father. The h and her brother have gone through a lot under the terror reign of her father, and after two broken engagements, she does not mind putting up a false front. Nature forces them to come together, but when the h realizes the H's real motives, will she ever forgive him?
I've been on a disaster romance roll, thanks to a wonderful GR listopia and this was a good one. Both characters were likable in parts, the lovemaking was ok and the angst mild. Sweet epilogue.
Safe
3.5/5
June 17, 2013
Princess Antonella is desperate to save her country. Prince Cristiano is a bitter widower who wants to ruin her country and take it over. He thinks Antonella is a spoiled shallow socialite but in reality she is far from it. I loved the ending and the last 20 pages but this book needed more romance and less politics. I found it tiresome but the characters were strong and likable and the epilogue super cute!
June 15, 2010
I have to start this review by saying that although I adore Harlequins, Presents is not my go-to line. I'm a Blaze girl through and through with a little Intrigue thrown in. I absolutely love how fulfilling these stories are, without needing more than just a few hours to read one.
Harlequins are my way of fitting in awesome love stories even when I'm slammed by work or my daily life. A few stolen moments here and there and I've experienced a satisfying romance without having to "find time."
I have read and enjoyed many a Harlequin Presents through the years, even if they aren't my favorite. I tend to like my heroines with a little more spunk, world experience and my heros a little less domineering. An alpha male hero can be a great thing, if the motivation is right, but some Presents miss the mark for me.
I thought it was important to mention that before reviewing a Presents title. The nature of the line kinda means that the chances of one of its books blowing me away are slim. BUT, for some the Presents line is the bees knees so I wanted ove disclosure at the start of this review.
Lynn does an excellent job with writing this story and somehow manages to create a Presents heroine I'm not yelling at to get a backbone! In fact, I really loved the character of Antonella and felt very sympatheic to her story and how she was trying to help her country.
The hero Cristiano was a little harder for me becuase of his ruthlessness toward Antonella at the beginning of the story, but his true colors did show through quickly and he proved to be a sort of rescuing knight - one with ruinious seduction in mind, but still a knight that wouldn't leave a lady to die or fend for herself.
Since I'm a Harelquin fangirl, I'm well aware that the stories happen in a much shorter time frame than your normal romance, but in this instance it was the one thing that didn't really work for me. With Cristiano and Antonella's time together so limited, and with started off with so much hate between them, I couldn't take the leap to believing that Antonella was in love with him.
Maybe if Antonella had taken longer to come to that realization the story would have worked better for me, becuase everything else was there. Good characters, great plot, a good amount of chemistry and conflict. Very well done, I just needed more between them before she falls in so deep.
I give this a 3 Heart Review, but if Presents was more my style it could easily have been a 4. A good read from an author I'm looking forward to seeing more from!
Harlequins are my way of fitting in awesome love stories even when I'm slammed by work or my daily life. A few stolen moments here and there and I've experienced a satisfying romance without having to "find time."
I have read and enjoyed many a Harlequin Presents through the years, even if they aren't my favorite. I tend to like my heroines with a little more spunk, world experience and my heros a little less domineering. An alpha male hero can be a great thing, if the motivation is right, but some Presents miss the mark for me.
I thought it was important to mention that before reviewing a Presents title. The nature of the line kinda means that the chances of one of its books blowing me away are slim. BUT, for some the Presents line is the bees knees so I wanted ove disclosure at the start of this review.
Lynn does an excellent job with writing this story and somehow manages to create a Presents heroine I'm not yelling at to get a backbone! In fact, I really loved the character of Antonella and felt very sympatheic to her story and how she was trying to help her country.
The hero Cristiano was a little harder for me becuase of his ruthlessness toward Antonella at the beginning of the story, but his true colors did show through quickly and he proved to be a sort of rescuing knight - one with ruinious seduction in mind, but still a knight that wouldn't leave a lady to die or fend for herself.
Since I'm a Harelquin fangirl, I'm well aware that the stories happen in a much shorter time frame than your normal romance, but in this instance it was the one thing that didn't really work for me. With Cristiano and Antonella's time together so limited, and with started off with so much hate between them, I couldn't take the leap to believing that Antonella was in love with him.
Maybe if Antonella had taken longer to come to that realization the story would have worked better for me, becuase everything else was there. Good characters, great plot, a good amount of chemistry and conflict. Very well done, I just needed more between them before she falls in so deep.
I give this a 3 Heart Review, but if Presents was more my style it could easily have been a 4. A good read from an author I'm looking forward to seeing more from!
June 3, 2017
3.5 stars
November 20, 2011
I read this as it was a Romantic Times Top Pick in 2010 (4.5 RT stars), unfortunately I didnt agree. To be fair it was somewhere above ok and less than good...about 2.5 stars. Writings good, storyline concept is good, but somehow in the execution this was lacking the punch that I look for in a good HP.
February 25, 2024
Disappointing , the story is very weak so is the writing though the characters and the scenes were very promising ..I don't know what 's wrong with the author this time ,it seems she is not involved at all with this trope..Even worse the dialogue is horrible and zero sensuality -not sexuality ..I am sorry to write this but that is my honest opinion..The title has nothing to do with the plot ..!
1.5 stars
1.5 stars
October 9, 2025
Letto il: 09/10/2025
Lingua: Italiano
Commento:
Il libro è molto scorrevole. Mi è piaciuta l'ambientazione e ho trovato carini i nomi dei luoghi fittizi.
Tra i due personaggi principali non ho però avvertito molta intesa.
Anche se non mi sento particolarmente sdolcinata come persona, una frase in particolare mi è piaciuta molto: " [...] lui le sorrise, e lei si sentì come se di colpo avesse inghiottito il sole tutto intero."
Lingua: Italiano
Commento:
Il libro è molto scorrevole. Mi è piaciuta l'ambientazione e ho trovato carini i nomi dei luoghi fittizi.
Tra i due personaggi principali non ho però avvertito molta intesa.
Anche se non mi sento particolarmente sdolcinata come persona, una frase in particolare mi è piaciuta molto: " [...] lui le sorrise, e lei si sentì come se di colpo avesse inghiottito il sole tutto intero."
May 26, 2020
honestly i read this just to decompress from all the heavy YA lit i've been reading lately......... but......... this actually wasnt bad? shorty got railed and then immediately engaged in a debate about class warfare. this book did not disappoint.
August 25, 2020
This was a little slow for me. I liked it because I felt the tension between them but he wasn't a very nice hero really...
March 12, 2017
3.5 star.
It is refreshing to read a heroine that actually spoke her mind (and heart) while being vulnerable at the same time. However, I expect more of the love-hate tension.
It is refreshing to read a heroine that actually spoke her mind (and heart) while being vulnerable at the same time. However, I expect more of the love-hate tension.
January 28, 2013
Está bueno tirando a regular, no se entiende como es que ella pasa de despreciarlo a acostarse con él, su drama de que su padre la golpeaba tampoco es tratado bien (como siempre, flojito tocan temas graves pero no saben como desarrollarlo), lo mismo sucedió con el trasfondo político y bélico entre ambos países, a mi parecer, hubiera sido más coherente que digan que eran familias enfrentadas, porque no es creíble .
Él quiere destruirla y 10 páginas después la quiere obligar a que se case con él! no se entiende como pasó el cambio.
Lo mismo a como ella ya lo ama y él al capítulo siguiente después de dos meses, también...
—Me alegro mucho por ti, Cristiano. Espero que seas feliz y que encuentre a alguien que...
—Ya la he encontrado. Te he encontrado a ti.
Antonella sintió que las rodillas se le doblaban. Tuvo que agarrarse a la balaustrada de piedra para no caerse.
—Te ruego que no me atormentes, Cristiano. No podría soportar volver a ver cómo te marchas.
Cristiano le colocó la mano en la mejilla. Los dedos le temblaban. De no haber sido por eso, ella se habría dado la vuelta. Esa señal de vulnerabilidad le hizo pensar que Cristiano podría sentir algo por ella después de todo.
—Me resulta muy difícil sentir el amor cuando me aterra poder perderte, pero así es. Te amo, Antonella.
Ella no pudo contener las lágrimas que comenzaron a caerle por las mejillas.
—Quiero creerte, pero tengo miedo.
Cristiano la tomó entre sus brazos y la acurrucó contra su pecho como si fuera lo más valioso para él.
—No. Eres la persona más valiente que he conocido nunca. Más valiente que yo.
—No...
—Sí. Yo creía que la valentía se encontraba en las cosas heroicas, como salvar a las princesas de árboles caídos, pero va mucho más allá. La verdadera valentía viene de enfrentarse a nuestros miedos, a negarse a aceptar las verdades, por duras que éstas sean. Tú me lo enseñaste. He tardado demasiado tiempo en darme cuenta de la verdad, pero deseo pasar el resto de mis días compensándotelo.
Antonella lo abrazó con fuerza. Entonces, echó la cabeza hacia atrás para que él pudiera besarla. El beso fue todo lo que ella recordaba... y mucho más.
—Dime que sigues amándome, Antonella —susurró él—. Dime que no he estropeado lo que sientes por mí.
—Yo... necesito tiempo.
—Por supuesto. Todo esto es demasiado. Demasiado pronto. Sin embargo, jamás he sido un hombre paciente cuando sé lo que quiero, aunque por ti estoy dispuesto a intentarlo.
—¿Qué es lo que quieres, Cristiano?
—A ti. Te quiero a ti. Creía que ya te lo había dicho.
—No sé lo que eso significa exactamente. Podrías querer una aventura o...
—Antonella, amore mio —la interrumpió él tomándole el rostro entre las manos—. Lo quiero todo. Quiero una aventura que dure toda una vida. Te quiero a mi lado todos los días. Quiero que seas mi princesa, mi reina y la madre de mis hijos.
—¿Estás seguro? No te resultará fácil. Yo soy de Monteverde y...
—Te amo, Antonella. No voy a presentar más excusas. Si tuviera que renunciar a mi lugar en la sucesión por ti, lo haría.
—Yo jamás te pediría algo así.
Cristiano le dio un beso en la frente.
—No te queda elección. Para estar contigo, sería capaz de dejar mucho más que un trono.
—No quiero que tengas que renunciar a nada.
Cristiano sonrió.
—En ese caso, dime que te casarás conmigo y que me vas a sacar del sufrimiento en el que vivo. Llevo dos meses sin dormir y sin ser feliz. Si te casas conmigo, lo recuperaré todo.
Antonella estaba dejando paso a la esperanza. Estaba empezando a creer...
—Espero que estés seguro de esto.
—Más seguro de lo que nunca lo he estado.
—Creo en ti, Cristiano. Te confío mi alma. Llevo haciéndolo prácticamente desde el momento en que te conocí.
—¿Significa eso que me amas? ¿Que te casarás conmigo?
—Sí. A las dos cosas.
—Grazie a Dio —susurró él—. Non posso vivere senza
voi. —Yo tampoco puedo vivir sin ti, Cristiano. Ti amo.
Él quiere destruirla y 10 páginas después la quiere obligar a que se case con él! no se entiende como pasó el cambio.
Lo mismo a como ella ya lo ama y él al capítulo siguiente después de dos meses, también...
—Me alegro mucho por ti, Cristiano. Espero que seas feliz y que encuentre a alguien que...
—Ya la he encontrado. Te he encontrado a ti.
Antonella sintió que las rodillas se le doblaban. Tuvo que agarrarse a la balaustrada de piedra para no caerse.
—Te ruego que no me atormentes, Cristiano. No podría soportar volver a ver cómo te marchas.
Cristiano le colocó la mano en la mejilla. Los dedos le temblaban. De no haber sido por eso, ella se habría dado la vuelta. Esa señal de vulnerabilidad le hizo pensar que Cristiano podría sentir algo por ella después de todo.
—Me resulta muy difícil sentir el amor cuando me aterra poder perderte, pero así es. Te amo, Antonella.
Ella no pudo contener las lágrimas que comenzaron a caerle por las mejillas.
—Quiero creerte, pero tengo miedo.
Cristiano la tomó entre sus brazos y la acurrucó contra su pecho como si fuera lo más valioso para él.
—No. Eres la persona más valiente que he conocido nunca. Más valiente que yo.
—No...
—Sí. Yo creía que la valentía se encontraba en las cosas heroicas, como salvar a las princesas de árboles caídos, pero va mucho más allá. La verdadera valentía viene de enfrentarse a nuestros miedos, a negarse a aceptar las verdades, por duras que éstas sean. Tú me lo enseñaste. He tardado demasiado tiempo en darme cuenta de la verdad, pero deseo pasar el resto de mis días compensándotelo.
Antonella lo abrazó con fuerza. Entonces, echó la cabeza hacia atrás para que él pudiera besarla. El beso fue todo lo que ella recordaba... y mucho más.
—Dime que sigues amándome, Antonella —susurró él—. Dime que no he estropeado lo que sientes por mí.
—Yo... necesito tiempo.
—Por supuesto. Todo esto es demasiado. Demasiado pronto. Sin embargo, jamás he sido un hombre paciente cuando sé lo que quiero, aunque por ti estoy dispuesto a intentarlo.
—¿Qué es lo que quieres, Cristiano?
—A ti. Te quiero a ti. Creía que ya te lo había dicho.
—No sé lo que eso significa exactamente. Podrías querer una aventura o...
—Antonella, amore mio —la interrumpió él tomándole el rostro entre las manos—. Lo quiero todo. Quiero una aventura que dure toda una vida. Te quiero a mi lado todos los días. Quiero que seas mi princesa, mi reina y la madre de mis hijos.
—¿Estás seguro? No te resultará fácil. Yo soy de Monteverde y...
—Te amo, Antonella. No voy a presentar más excusas. Si tuviera que renunciar a mi lugar en la sucesión por ti, lo haría.
—Yo jamás te pediría algo así.
Cristiano le dio un beso en la frente.
—No te queda elección. Para estar contigo, sería capaz de dejar mucho más que un trono.
—No quiero que tengas que renunciar a nada.
Cristiano sonrió.
—En ese caso, dime que te casarás conmigo y que me vas a sacar del sufrimiento en el que vivo. Llevo dos meses sin dormir y sin ser feliz. Si te casas conmigo, lo recuperaré todo.
Antonella estaba dejando paso a la esperanza. Estaba empezando a creer...
—Espero que estés seguro de esto.
—Más seguro de lo que nunca lo he estado.
—Creo en ti, Cristiano. Te confío mi alma. Llevo haciéndolo prácticamente desde el momento en que te conocí.
—¿Significa eso que me amas? ¿Que te casarás conmigo?
—Sí. A las dos cosas.
—Grazie a Dio —susurró él—. Non posso vivere senza
voi. —Yo tampoco puedo vivir sin ti, Cristiano. Ti amo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2017
Cristiano di Savare and Antonia Romanelli are royalty from opposing countries in a war. Cristiano's wife was killed in an explosion caused by a bomb set by a Romanelli faction and Cristiano wants his revenge and he sees his chance when Antonia is searching for a way to help her brother save her country from bankruptcy. Cristiano says he will step in to buy the natural resource that Antonia's country has in plenty of and that Cristiano will marry Antonia as a show of good faith - only he has no intention of actually following through. He will play the part of a fiancee until he has the contract and therefore control over Antonia's country (at least financially) and he can then force them to end the war between them. Antonia doesn't realize this until she's already fallen in love with Cristiano.
I enjoyed the angst and romancey-drama of this story. It's very much thought out and there are quite a lot of complicated politics here. I also like that Cristiano, while having a dead spouse, acted the way he did not because he loved her so much but because he felt guilty for not loving her enough. That's different and somewhat refreshing.
I didn't care much for Cristiano here. He was far too cold and ruthless for my tastes. I mean, he seduces this girl out of her virginity and her heart and even though he knows she loves him, still refuses to marry her and sends her packing quite cruelly. His grovel was just okay, but not nearly enough for the way he acted. I was at first hopeful when, after he asks for her to come back, she tells him she needs time (and he showed disappointment) - I figured he'd get to suffer a bit the way she was. But then five minutes later, she completely forgave him and they had their HEA. I guess I also struggled to figure out why she fell in love with him. Sure they had about 3 weeks worth of walks on the beach and sharing their stories, but we don't actually get to see this, so it felt like she fell in love with an asshole, because that's what the reader gets to see. Also, just my own little peeve, but I struggle to understand how a woman could melt in the arms of a man who was going to take over your country and who basically hates you. But that's how things roll in HPland.
I enjoyed the angst and romancey-drama of this story. It's very much thought out and there are quite a lot of complicated politics here. I also like that Cristiano, while having a dead spouse, acted the way he did not because he loved her so much but because he felt guilty for not loving her enough. That's different and somewhat refreshing.
I didn't care much for Cristiano here. He was far too cold and ruthless for my tastes. I mean, he seduces this girl out of her virginity and her heart and even though he knows she loves him, still refuses to marry her and sends her packing quite cruelly. His grovel was just okay, but not nearly enough for the way he acted. I was at first hopeful when, after he asks for her to come back, she tells him she needs time (and he showed disappointment) - I figured he'd get to suffer a bit the way she was. But then five minutes later, she completely forgave him and they had their HEA. I guess I also struggled to figure out why she fell in love with him. Sure they had about 3 weeks worth of walks on the beach and sharing their stories, but we don't actually get to see this, so it felt like she fell in love with an asshole, because that's what the reader gets to see. Also, just my own little peeve, but I struggle to understand how a woman could melt in the arms of a man who was going to take over your country and who basically hates you. But that's how things roll in HPland.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2013
The synopsis of this book does not do the actual story justice. Lynn Raye Harris tackles the effects of emotional and physical abuse, as well as survivor’s guilt, in a story which takes place largely during a hurricane.
Cristiano and Antonella are royalty, and they project the image many of us associate with that – expensive clothes, jewels, private jets, Caribbean getaways, but beneath it all are two people on a parallel mission to bring peace and prosperity to their neighbouring yet warring countries.
Lynn Raye Harris has become an auto-buy for me and this book, published almost 3 years ago, did not disappoint.
I highly recommend you get your own copy of this book so you can discover for yourself how Cristiano and Antonella find their own HEA.
You can read more of my reviews, and enter giveaways, at my blog - www.CaribbeanAccentBookReview.com
Cristiano and Antonella are royalty, and they project the image many of us associate with that – expensive clothes, jewels, private jets, Caribbean getaways, but beneath it all are two people on a parallel mission to bring peace and prosperity to their neighbouring yet warring countries.
Lynn Raye Harris has become an auto-buy for me and this book, published almost 3 years ago, did not disappoint.
I highly recommend you get your own copy of this book so you can discover for yourself how Cristiano and Antonella find their own HEA.
You can read more of my reviews, and enter giveaways, at my blog - www.CaribbeanAccentBookReview.com
August 5, 2012
One of the best modern Presents novels that I've read. It has all of the best aspects of the modern Presents: strong heroine, a couple that is on equal footing yet still has the hot power struggle, strong sexual tension, a lot of great aspects that add to the overall depth of the romance, and great h/h interaction. Lynn Raye Harris is now officially a Harlequin author I will be watching - just like Sarah Morgan. I can't wait to read more of her books. This one is definitely a step in the right direction from her debut novel Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge, and I hope that she keeps breaking the traditional Presents mold in her stories.
June 3, 2021
Prince Cristiano di Savare hunts his prey by ruthless means. Tonight's pickings--Antonella Romanelli, crown princess of a rival country and part of a dynasty he has every reason to despise....Antonella is rocked by Cristiano's unexpected magnetism. But there's ice in his wolfish smile.... She's far from the promiscuous, spoiled socialite he believes her to be, but Cristiano is here to persuade her into compliance. If bedding her is what it takes, then it will make his mission all the more pleasurable
August 3, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and I loved the foreign language, Italian I think. In any case, I knew what everything translated to and it was the same as the little bit of Italian that I had learned awhile back. I did find some funny parts in the book and some frustrating parts, but overall I really enjoyed the book and plan to pick up Cavelli's Lost Heir next. :)
June 12, 2013
Unlike most little sex novels, this one was one that didn't leave me shaking my head wondering why I wasted my time. So , for two hours over a period of three nights I was cuddled with this book. I wasn't left lonely, nor horny or questioning my morals or boredom so the book was OK! Especially in comparison to a trilogy that has taken over the world.. WILL... NOT... MENTION ... TITLE... Aaaaaah.
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July 27, 2011Antonella is trying to save her country. Cristiano is trying to destroy her country. Falling in love with the enemy should not be an option, but for both, it is inevitable.
An excellent story.
An excellent story.
June 30, 2010
I love it , I enjoy Lynn's books!
February 2, 2011
Loved the strong heroine and the tortured hero. Definitely one of the best Presents I read in 2010!
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