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Something in Return
"It's just as well you're not Cinderella - I'm no prince, Samantha."
When the immensely wealthy Ramsey MacMillan offered to donate a large sum on money to Samantha's aid program for the needy, she was thrilled. All she had to do in exchange was accompany him to a few society dinners and parties, as a deterrent to the army of women intent on making Ramsey their Prince Charming. He'd chosen her because she was an ordinary girl who wouldn't get any silly ideas about marrying him, hadn't he? But, to Samantha's dismay, her heart was beginning to prove him wrong.
When the immensely wealthy Ramsey MacMillan offered to donate a large sum on money to Samantha's aid program for the needy, she was thrilled. All she had to do in exchange was accompany him to a few society dinners and parties, as a deterrent to the army of women intent on making Ramsey their Prince Charming. He'd chosen her because she was an ordinary girl who wouldn't get any silly ideas about marrying him, hadn't he? But, to Samantha's dismay, her heart was beginning to prove him wrong.
187 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 1992
116 people want to read
About the author
Karen van der Zee
94 books41 followersI always wanted to write, ever since I was a child growing up in Holland. I was a dreamer, reading books and making up my own stories. I had notebooks full of stories which I illustrated with crayon drawings. My brothers burned the notebooks in the attic one day, fortunately not burning down the house. They don’t remember this now, but I do!
I also always wanted to travel. Holland is very flat and I wanted to see mountains and coconut palms and tropical beaches and deserts. I wanted to meet interesting people and learn about different cultures and see how people lived their daily lives. And then I wanted to write adventurous stories set in these exotic places
I got lucky and fell in love with a globetrotting American. I met him in Amsterdam, he asked me to marry him in Rome, and we tied the knot in a ten-minute ceremony in Kenya, East Africa, where he was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Some wedding that was! Not the stuff of romantic dreams, but really good for a laugh.
After Kenya we lived in the States for a while, then four years in Ghana, West Africa where not only our first daughter was born, but my first Mills & Boon romance as well. It took me a year to write, which is three months longer than it takes to have a baby. It was set in Ghana, and I called it SWEET NOT ALWAYS, a slogan found on a big colorfully decorated truck that transported people, goods, and live chickens.
I continued writing romances and loved the creativity of it, although it was, and is, never easy. Later we also lived in Indonesia, Ramallah (Palestine), then another three years in Ghana, and most recently six years in Armenia, which lies east of Turkey and north of Iran. Along the way we acquired a couple more kids, so now we have three.
I’ve written over thirty books now, many set in exotic locations such as Bali, Thailand, Malaysia, Java, Kenya and Ghana, as well as Holland and the US. Writing as Mona van Wieren, I received a RITA for a Silhouette Romance entitled RHAPSODY IN BLOOM.
I love the challenge of living in a foreign country where the food is different, the people interesting and life gives me endless inspiration for my writing. So, I’ll just keep going for a while.
I also always wanted to travel. Holland is very flat and I wanted to see mountains and coconut palms and tropical beaches and deserts. I wanted to meet interesting people and learn about different cultures and see how people lived their daily lives. And then I wanted to write adventurous stories set in these exotic places
I got lucky and fell in love with a globetrotting American. I met him in Amsterdam, he asked me to marry him in Rome, and we tied the knot in a ten-minute ceremony in Kenya, East Africa, where he was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Some wedding that was! Not the stuff of romantic dreams, but really good for a laugh.
After Kenya we lived in the States for a while, then four years in Ghana, West Africa where not only our first daughter was born, but my first Mills & Boon romance as well. It took me a year to write, which is three months longer than it takes to have a baby. It was set in Ghana, and I called it SWEET NOT ALWAYS, a slogan found on a big colorfully decorated truck that transported people, goods, and live chickens.
I continued writing romances and loved the creativity of it, although it was, and is, never easy. Later we also lived in Indonesia, Ramallah (Palestine), then another three years in Ghana, and most recently six years in Armenia, which lies east of Turkey and north of Iran. Along the way we acquired a couple more kids, so now we have three.
I’ve written over thirty books now, many set in exotic locations such as Bali, Thailand, Malaysia, Java, Kenya and Ghana, as well as Holland and the US. Writing as Mona van Wieren, I received a RITA for a Silhouette Romance entitled RHAPSODY IN BLOOM.
I love the challenge of living in a foreign country where the food is different, the people interesting and life gives me endless inspiration for my writing. So, I’ll just keep going for a while.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 10, 2019
Awww. Really sweet story with a buttoned-up, smitten hero who donates money to the elementary school teacher heroine's food bank if she will accompany him to six weeks of social outings between Thanksgiving and New Year's. It' obvious the hero just wants to spend time with the heroine, and the heroine is hoping their time together will lead to a commitment - but hero is just a tad clueless.
Heroine had some great smack downs of wanna be OWs - but she is never bitchy - just clever and fearless. I liked her and I liked the hero who was willing to learn and grow.
My biggest disappointment was not seeing the OW, Violet, smacked down on the page. After the heroine meekly and uncharacteristically left the battle field, we only have the hero's explanation that the OW will never bother her again. *pout* The hero could have walked in during the h/OW confrontation and have the hero firmly take the heroine's side. But alas . . .
But that is the only quibble I had with this story. It's got a great setting - Washington DC and the Virginia countryside and lots of pretty clothes descriptions. Boogenhagen has all the spoilers in her excellent review!
Heroine had some great smack downs of wanna be OWs - but she is never bitchy - just clever and fearless. I liked her and I liked the hero who was willing to learn and grow.
My biggest disappointment was not seeing the OW, Violet, smacked down on the page. After the heroine meekly and uncharacteristically left the battle field, we only have the hero's explanation that the OW will never bother her again. *pout* The hero could have walked in during the h/OW confrontation and have the hero firmly take the heroine's side. But alas . . .
But that is the only quibble I had with this story. It's got a great setting - Washington DC and the Virginia countryside and lots of pretty clothes descriptions. Boogenhagen has all the spoilers in her excellent review!
March 27, 2018
Re Something in Return - Opposing lifestyle values come to the fore in this sweet little Karen van der Zee Christmas story.
(FYI, M&B's and HP's did not have the same release schedule back in the day, so inevitably the US HP editor who picked the monthly list would always pick a Christmas book for later in the year. Part of the huge success of HP's everywhere was that the editors in whatever country the book's were being published in could pick anything off the HQN backlist and run it as that month's new release in their individual county.
This gave the editors tremendous freedom to build up a devoted base of readers and push the boundaries of their individual country's laws, cause in 1994 some countries still had censorship laws. Most notably Ireland - who still has a Censorship board to this day, they banned a book in 2016 and prior to that in 1998 - so the Rialtas na hÉireann take their book censoring seriously.)
Anyhows, HPlandia publishing tidbits aside, this is sweet little Christmas story about what has real meaning in life - a nicer version of Scrooge if you will, but the h is the perky, colorful non-ghost real person who is going to take the H by the hand and lead him to a more fulfilled life.
The H is the entitled uber rich guy who is really nice, but he has no people skills or friends cause everyone in his world wants to use him. The h on the other hand is the very nice, orphaned social cause helper outer who is relatively poor and a schoolteacher, but has immeasurable wealth in the form of loving and devoted friends.
The story starts with the H's cousin duping him into helping out with the h's food distribution program. The h gives him a box and sends him around to the various lines to gather up a collection for a family. The H is astounded, but good-naturedly goes along with the hijack.
The next day he makes the h a proposition, if she will be his date for the holiday season on a strictly platonic basis to keep the predatory women from stalking him, he will give her food program $8000.00 - the h tries for ten, and frankly she should have held out, but $8000.00 is a lot of money for her cause, so she agrees.
The H also provides money for the appropriate clothes and accessories. The h is uncomfortable in the H's world and the predatory women are really predatory, but the H also helps the orphans who need medical care from the books Kept Woman and The Imperfect Bride by paying for all their medical bills and the h starts to fall in love with him.
The H does have some major mess up moments. Mainly when the h's BFF breaks her leg, her husband is out of town and her two girls have chicken pox and they need the h's help. The h has a date with the H scheduled, but he won't listen to her excuses - so the h co-opts one of her friends to go on the date with the H and then helps her friend out.
The h also has to drive back in a bad storm to meet the H for the next date commitment and gradually, between the h offering the H 'root soup' which is root vegetables and ham, getting the H to play in a snowball fight with the local kids and knitting him a homemade sweater, the H starts to learn the value of a simple, helping life.
The H, for his part, offers really nice clothes, jewelry and fresh from Paris Dalloyau pastries as he has his limo drive the h around. When he tries to give the h a big check to thank her for sharing her life with him and so she can have something special herself, the h tells him he can't pay for caring and gives him the check back. The H buys her a ginormous box of Godiva instead. (I was calling this one a winner at that point. I am all for the Cargo Container size box of Godiva deliveries.)
The h amusingly fends off the predatory OW several times and the mutual attraction between the H and h is growing exponentially. However the H reveals almost no information about himself, even when the h asks and there is several mentions of some mysterious woman named Violet that the H won't talk about either.
There is a sort of OM who tells the h he is a food writer and takes her out a few times, but he is really a financial journalist trying to get info on the H and the H gets furious when the h goes out with him. The H is really jealous, or at least he is acting like it and the h pretty much laughs at him - her contract is to keep the ladies off him at his selected social event, he doesn't get a say in the rest of her life.
The H takes the h to a ballet as a gift, the h took years of ballet as a child before becoming a teacher and the h is thrilled to think the H is learning to give things of value instead of money. After the ballet the H and h become lovers and the h decides to spend Christmas with the H as we find out he really has no one else.
His mother basically abandoned him to boarding school after his parents divorced and his father died and then the H had to take over the family conglomerate. The H is very lonely and his biggest seekrit wish is just to be normal and have a regular family with brothers and sisters and stuff.
So the h gets the H's housekeeper to help do the full decorated Christmas complete with duck and holiday foods. The H is out at the office and the woman named Violet shows up and kicks the h out - she acts like she lives at the H's and for all the h knows, she does, so the h leaves.
The H shows up at the h's house and claims the Violet woman has no claim on him and certainly doesn't live with him. He wants the h for Christmas and the h explains that she feels used by him and the H explains that he is used to being private about his thoughts, but he will try harder to explain himself and he apologizes for not understanding her POV.
Christmas goes well, tho the h feels bad that she has a pile of presents and the H only has hers and a few others. She believes the H is very lonely and has few trustworthy people in life that aren't out to use him. She is fathoms deep in love by now, but she figures she is just going to have to ride it out, because she doesn't believe the H has any deep feelings for her beyond want and a temporary convenience.
The H claims that she is not a temporary convenience, that she taught him how to laugh and enjoy simple things. They spend the week between Christmas and New Year's together and happy, but the h is aware that the agreement ends the day after New Year's . She will go back to teaching and the H will go to Japan and she can't help wondering if he will ever love her.
Then the H buys the h a local restored house and the h thinks it is the prelude to a marriage proposal. It isn't. The H wants the h to live there and he can 'visit' occasionally and she can continue to be his shield against other women with sleeping privileges.
The h is angry cause once again the H just doesn't understand that for all her giving to others, what she gets back in return is intangible, but more valuable than black diamonds. She explains that his acquaintances think she is a tart and she did not care because she thought the H knew her better than that, but now he too is treating her like an auction piece who will take the highest offer.
She tells the H she isn't for sale and he can keep his money, his house and his skeevy acquaintances and she slams the door on the way out. It was an excellent h smackdown moment. The h has to get through New Year's Eve with the H and she does, but she leaves straight off the next morning. The H asks her to stay and she says no, she wants real love and real togetherness and not all the H's money can buy that for himself and she feels sorry for him.
The h goes back to her world, having a huge mopey moment for love lost and a month goes by. The h's school will be closing at the end of the school year and the h thinks about joining the Peace Corp and seeing the world. Her friends have a big birthday party for her and when she gets back from it, the H has returned to her house and he is waiting by her fire in the sweater she made him.
He finally gets that money can't buy you love and we get a really excellent repentant H speech and a very nice declaration of love and a marriage proposal. The h is overjoyed that the H finally has his head out of the nether dark areas and she accepts his marriage proposal with great joy for the big, happy HP HEA.
This one was cute, the H was pretty decent throughout the story, even with his wrong idears and the big declarations were well done. Give this one ago when you need a decent H grovel, this is one of the better ones on an HPlandia outing.
(FYI, M&B's and HP's did not have the same release schedule back in the day, so inevitably the US HP editor who picked the monthly list would always pick a Christmas book for later in the year. Part of the huge success of HP's everywhere was that the editors in whatever country the book's were being published in could pick anything off the HQN backlist and run it as that month's new release in their individual county.
This gave the editors tremendous freedom to build up a devoted base of readers and push the boundaries of their individual country's laws, cause in 1994 some countries still had censorship laws. Most notably Ireland - who still has a Censorship board to this day, they banned a book in 2016 and prior to that in 1998 - so the Rialtas na hÉireann take their book censoring seriously.)
Anyhows, HPlandia publishing tidbits aside, this is sweet little Christmas story about what has real meaning in life - a nicer version of Scrooge if you will, but the h is the perky, colorful non-ghost real person who is going to take the H by the hand and lead him to a more fulfilled life.
The H is the entitled uber rich guy who is really nice, but he has no people skills or friends cause everyone in his world wants to use him. The h on the other hand is the very nice, orphaned social cause helper outer who is relatively poor and a schoolteacher, but has immeasurable wealth in the form of loving and devoted friends.
The story starts with the H's cousin duping him into helping out with the h's food distribution program. The h gives him a box and sends him around to the various lines to gather up a collection for a family. The H is astounded, but good-naturedly goes along with the hijack.
The next day he makes the h a proposition, if she will be his date for the holiday season on a strictly platonic basis to keep the predatory women from stalking him, he will give her food program $8000.00 - the h tries for ten, and frankly she should have held out, but $8000.00 is a lot of money for her cause, so she agrees.
The H also provides money for the appropriate clothes and accessories. The h is uncomfortable in the H's world and the predatory women are really predatory, but the H also helps the orphans who need medical care from the books Kept Woman and The Imperfect Bride by paying for all their medical bills and the h starts to fall in love with him.
The H does have some major mess up moments. Mainly when the h's BFF breaks her leg, her husband is out of town and her two girls have chicken pox and they need the h's help. The h has a date with the H scheduled, but he won't listen to her excuses - so the h co-opts one of her friends to go on the date with the H and then helps her friend out.
The h also has to drive back in a bad storm to meet the H for the next date commitment and gradually, between the h offering the H 'root soup' which is root vegetables and ham, getting the H to play in a snowball fight with the local kids and knitting him a homemade sweater, the H starts to learn the value of a simple, helping life.
The H, for his part, offers really nice clothes, jewelry and fresh from Paris Dalloyau pastries as he has his limo drive the h around. When he tries to give the h a big check to thank her for sharing her life with him and so she can have something special herself, the h tells him he can't pay for caring and gives him the check back. The H buys her a ginormous box of Godiva instead. (I was calling this one a winner at that point. I am all for the Cargo Container size box of Godiva deliveries.)
The h amusingly fends off the predatory OW several times and the mutual attraction between the H and h is growing exponentially. However the H reveals almost no information about himself, even when the h asks and there is several mentions of some mysterious woman named Violet that the H won't talk about either.
There is a sort of OM who tells the h he is a food writer and takes her out a few times, but he is really a financial journalist trying to get info on the H and the H gets furious when the h goes out with him. The H is really jealous, or at least he is acting like it and the h pretty much laughs at him - her contract is to keep the ladies off him at his selected social event, he doesn't get a say in the rest of her life.
The H takes the h to a ballet as a gift, the h took years of ballet as a child before becoming a teacher and the h is thrilled to think the H is learning to give things of value instead of money. After the ballet the H and h become lovers and the h decides to spend Christmas with the H as we find out he really has no one else.
His mother basically abandoned him to boarding school after his parents divorced and his father died and then the H had to take over the family conglomerate. The H is very lonely and his biggest seekrit wish is just to be normal and have a regular family with brothers and sisters and stuff.
So the h gets the H's housekeeper to help do the full decorated Christmas complete with duck and holiday foods. The H is out at the office and the woman named Violet shows up and kicks the h out - she acts like she lives at the H's and for all the h knows, she does, so the h leaves.
The H shows up at the h's house and claims the Violet woman has no claim on him and certainly doesn't live with him. He wants the h for Christmas and the h explains that she feels used by him and the H explains that he is used to being private about his thoughts, but he will try harder to explain himself and he apologizes for not understanding her POV.
Christmas goes well, tho the h feels bad that she has a pile of presents and the H only has hers and a few others. She believes the H is very lonely and has few trustworthy people in life that aren't out to use him. She is fathoms deep in love by now, but she figures she is just going to have to ride it out, because she doesn't believe the H has any deep feelings for her beyond want and a temporary convenience.
The H claims that she is not a temporary convenience, that she taught him how to laugh and enjoy simple things. They spend the week between Christmas and New Year's together and happy, but the h is aware that the agreement ends the day after New Year's . She will go back to teaching and the H will go to Japan and she can't help wondering if he will ever love her.
Then the H buys the h a local restored house and the h thinks it is the prelude to a marriage proposal. It isn't. The H wants the h to live there and he can 'visit' occasionally and she can continue to be his shield against other women with sleeping privileges.
The h is angry cause once again the H just doesn't understand that for all her giving to others, what she gets back in return is intangible, but more valuable than black diamonds. She explains that his acquaintances think she is a tart and she did not care because she thought the H knew her better than that, but now he too is treating her like an auction piece who will take the highest offer.
She tells the H she isn't for sale and he can keep his money, his house and his skeevy acquaintances and she slams the door on the way out. It was an excellent h smackdown moment. The h has to get through New Year's Eve with the H and she does, but she leaves straight off the next morning. The H asks her to stay and she says no, she wants real love and real togetherness and not all the H's money can buy that for himself and she feels sorry for him.
The h goes back to her world, having a huge mopey moment for love lost and a month goes by. The h's school will be closing at the end of the school year and the h thinks about joining the Peace Corp and seeing the world. Her friends have a big birthday party for her and when she gets back from it, the H has returned to her house and he is waiting by her fire in the sweater she made him.
He finally gets that money can't buy you love and we get a really excellent repentant H speech and a very nice declaration of love and a marriage proposal. The h is overjoyed that the H finally has his head out of the nether dark areas and she accepts his marriage proposal with great joy for the big, happy HP HEA.
This one was cute, the H was pretty decent throughout the story, even with his wrong idears and the big declarations were well done. Give this one ago when you need a decent H grovel, this is one of the better ones on an HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2022
"Something in Return" is the story of Samantha and Ramsey.
This book explores one of my favorite themes: brooding unhappy hero meets the vivacious and happy heroine, and she ends up coloring his life, as well as teaching him the meaning of love.
Meet our h Samantha: a school teacher who spends most of her time working for ACTION charity, knitting sweaters and bringing happiness in other people's lives.
Our H Ramsey: Quiet and scarred-by-the-past billionaire looking to escape the clutches of vultures, hell bent on trapping him into marriage.
They meet when Ramsey is falsely coerced by his cousin to the charity the h volunteers in, and he is instantly intrigued. Samantha doesn't care about his money for personal gains, but when he propositions that she becomes his companion to social events in exchange for him donating to her charity, she agrees.
Soon we see our heroine having a fairytale experience; but she is no Cinderella. This is one kickass hero who can stand up for herself, take any bitchy OW or OM on, and call out the hero when he tries to buy or hurt her. Na-uh, she is passionate, loving, and it's her honesty and strength which attracts the hero to her, like moth to flame.
Ofcourse, since this is a HQN romance, we have moments of hero acting like a jerk, a small separation, passion, angst..but the culmination is such a SWEET HEA. I wished there was an epilogue, but otherwise too, this made me happy.
I adored this SO MUCH.
Safe
4.75/5
This book explores one of my favorite themes: brooding unhappy hero meets the vivacious and happy heroine, and she ends up coloring his life, as well as teaching him the meaning of love.
Meet our h Samantha: a school teacher who spends most of her time working for ACTION charity, knitting sweaters and bringing happiness in other people's lives.
Our H Ramsey: Quiet and scarred-by-the-past billionaire looking to escape the clutches of vultures, hell bent on trapping him into marriage.
They meet when Ramsey is falsely coerced by his cousin to the charity the h volunteers in, and he is instantly intrigued. Samantha doesn't care about his money for personal gains, but when he propositions that she becomes his companion to social events in exchange for him donating to her charity, she agrees.
Soon we see our heroine having a fairytale experience; but she is no Cinderella. This is one kickass hero who can stand up for herself, take any bitchy OW or OM on, and call out the hero when he tries to buy or hurt her. Na-uh, she is passionate, loving, and it's her honesty and strength which attracts the hero to her, like moth to flame.
Ofcourse, since this is a HQN romance, we have moments of hero acting like a jerk, a small separation, passion, angst..but the culmination is such a SWEET HEA. I wished there was an epilogue, but otherwise too, this made me happy.
I adored this SO MUCH.
Safe
4.75/5
July 9, 2012
Very different from your typical HP's. Made for a very entertaining story.
March 27, 2019
The heroine was special one- throughly enjoyed reading this first book by this author!
May 4, 2022
Clearly it took me over a year to go through this slow paced repetitive book. 2 stars for it for hangin out with me for that long!
The h is a chirpy kindie teacher who also works and helps in the local community. She collects and serves food and donations and such for the under privileged. She also plays in the snow with children in her neighborhood who are poor and have no one else who has their back. Okay Samantha, ima cry my heart out now.
One fine day there’s a wealthy looking someone at their local food bank where the h works. She dazzles her way into his periphery with cute talk and a sunny halo. Whatevs. He’s a little taken back with her talking a mile a minute and showing him how he’s not such a great person cuz he’s rich and far removed from real life agony of the poverty ridden ‘others’.
The h was way too literal in her judgemental attitude. I disliked her sunny personality where she was brimming with a humbling outlook towards life but also pretty darn rude and mouthy to anyone who had more money than her. Almost like she begrudged those who had more. So I wasn’t convinced.
The H strikes a deal with her. For donation for her charity she has to spend time with him attending events and business meetings as a temp non-gf to ward off clingy gold diggers.
The h and H are very comfortable conversing and the H is rather broody. There comes a point when the h eventually gives in and sleeps with him. Right after she’s wanting a proper place for herself in his life with the right title. Wife/ girlfriend or at least some one.
The H is careless and keeps reiterating how he never wanted a permanent anyone in his life and never will. The h is now aware that she’s being misused but she STILL AGREES OVER AND OVER AGAIN to keep meeting him under the sham of their business contract.
I consistently felt that the h was getting needier by the second. She could’ve walked away in a calm manner without getting all teary eyed every time she felt used. She just had to learn to say no.
Last page he finally says the three words but only after the h digs it out of him. It took 200 pages worth of fighting to dredge out an i-l-y. I wouldn’t want that kind of misery to hang onto for life!
The h is a chirpy kindie teacher who also works and helps in the local community. She collects and serves food and donations and such for the under privileged. She also plays in the snow with children in her neighborhood who are poor and have no one else who has their back. Okay Samantha, ima cry my heart out now.
One fine day there’s a wealthy looking someone at their local food bank where the h works. She dazzles her way into his periphery with cute talk and a sunny halo. Whatevs. He’s a little taken back with her talking a mile a minute and showing him how he’s not such a great person cuz he’s rich and far removed from real life agony of the poverty ridden ‘others’.
The h was way too literal in her judgemental attitude. I disliked her sunny personality where she was brimming with a humbling outlook towards life but also pretty darn rude and mouthy to anyone who had more money than her. Almost like she begrudged those who had more. So I wasn’t convinced.
The H strikes a deal with her. For donation for her charity she has to spend time with him attending events and business meetings as a temp non-gf to ward off clingy gold diggers.
The h and H are very comfortable conversing and the H is rather broody. There comes a point when the h eventually gives in and sleeps with him. Right after she’s wanting a proper place for herself in his life with the right title. Wife/ girlfriend or at least some one.
The H is careless and keeps reiterating how he never wanted a permanent anyone in his life and never will. The h is now aware that she’s being misused but she STILL AGREES OVER AND OVER AGAIN to keep meeting him under the sham of their business contract.
I consistently felt that the h was getting needier by the second. She could’ve walked away in a calm manner without getting all teary eyed every time she felt used. She just had to learn to say no.
Last page he finally says the three words but only after the h digs it out of him. It took 200 pages worth of fighting to dredge out an i-l-y. I wouldn’t want that kind of misery to hang onto for life!
May 9, 2021
4.5 stars
May 30, 2019
I needed a break from the tome that refuses to have anything named in plain ol' English. Now, I don't blame David B. Coe. He's writing high fantasy, after all. I just needed a break and this cutie pie book fell in to my hands. (OK, fine. It was delivered by the postman today, $0.26!, and I just couldn't resist.)
The heroine in this book is just adorable. I don't know how the author did it, but the way that she wrote her, all sweet and bubbly, isn't over the top saccharine, but believable. I like that she sticks up for herself and tells the people around her what's what.
"And after that?"
"I hated all men, of course. For about six months. I couldn't keep it up, though. It took too much energy, you know. Besides, it didn't seem quite fair to mistrust half of the human race because one man had treated me so shabbily. Also, I've got plenty of good friends I know well, men who are perfectly trustworthy." She grinned. (p.33)
Samantha nodded, watching the lady move over to one of the racks and produce a shimmering black creation.
"How about something like this? It's very elegant, and black is always right."
"It's beautiful," Lee Ann said, fingering the fabric.
"I hate it," Samantha said. "It's like something you'd wear to a funeral." (p.39)
Upon finishing, I can say I solidly liked this one. The angst didn't go on forever, and the heroine wasn't a doormat or a hormonal blob. The OW drama was never really explained, but I found it easy to air wave it away. One thing I do have to say is that given the short length of this book, the hero wasn't developed that well. Just the barest details of his past and background are given and I wanted to feel more engaged by his character. Also, I love it when the hero is jealous and we definitely needed more of that in this book. The one or two scenes where he's a little caveman were just thrilling. :) Finally, I do wish that there was more of an epilogue, but that's a minor quibble.
The heroine in this book is just adorable. I don't know how the author did it, but the way that she wrote her, all sweet and bubbly, isn't over the top saccharine, but believable. I like that she sticks up for herself and tells the people around her what's what.
"And after that?"
"I hated all men, of course. For about six months. I couldn't keep it up, though. It took too much energy, you know. Besides, it didn't seem quite fair to mistrust half of the human race because one man had treated me so shabbily. Also, I've got plenty of good friends I know well, men who are perfectly trustworthy." She grinned. (p.33)
Samantha nodded, watching the lady move over to one of the racks and produce a shimmering black creation.
"How about something like this? It's very elegant, and black is always right."
"It's beautiful," Lee Ann said, fingering the fabric.
"I hate it," Samantha said. "It's like something you'd wear to a funeral." (p.39)
Upon finishing, I can say I solidly liked this one. The angst didn't go on forever, and the heroine wasn't a doormat or a hormonal blob. The OW drama was never really explained, but I found it easy to air wave it away. One thing I do have to say is that given the short length of this book, the hero wasn't developed that well. Just the barest details of his past and background are given and I wanted to feel more engaged by his character. Also, I love it when the hero is jealous and we definitely needed more of that in this book. The one or two scenes where he's a little caveman were just thrilling. :) Finally, I do wish that there was more of an epilogue, but that's a minor quibble.
June 15, 2021
Boogenhagen’s and StMargarets reviews are very thorough. In fact the first 6 reviews that popped on my screen were all good.
What’s different or what did I enjoy?
The heroine is just a lovely human being. She is a giver. She is also very happy and content with her life. She is a teacher, a volunteer, she knits, and she cooks just to name a few attributes. She probably goes around humming Shania Twain’s “That don’t impress me much” (probably the only time I will quote country music) as she is thrown into the H’s very rich lifestyle. She is able to cope with these people because she is intelligent, beautiful, and cultured enough to swim in the ocean with these sharks.
The hero is the conservative type who is in some respects dead inside. The heroine is the one that lights him up for the first time ever. He is used to shallow gold digging socialites, and the h is as far away from that as possible. She is strong and has a backbone, plus she challenges him emotionally. Unfortunately he doesn’t recognize that he is falling in love with the heroine. He tries to show his love with 💰 . Big mistake! Our heroine wants a home and children, but her husband needs to be with her all the way. She’s hardly mistress material.
A few a weeks apart convinces the H he needs to take a chance. It is a sweet ending..although short.
There is some ow drama. Our h is pretty good about smacking down some of the minor players, but gets bamboozled by the main ow who makes an appearance near the end. Yet even with the OW she shows decorum and Grace with her exit. Along the way there are possible om’s which the H disposes of before they can get a foothold in. I really liked the H because it was obvious he was a good guy who either believed he didn’t deserve love or that quite simply believed love was an emotion. You could see throughout the story the h breaking down his barriers as they both fell in love. The sex in the book is all sweet, tame and wonderful. It is referred to as “making love” .
If you are looking for a sweet, low drama, some angst book give this a try.
What’s different or what did I enjoy?
The heroine is just a lovely human being. She is a giver. She is also very happy and content with her life. She is a teacher, a volunteer, she knits, and she cooks just to name a few attributes. She probably goes around humming Shania Twain’s “That don’t impress me much” (probably the only time I will quote country music) as she is thrown into the H’s very rich lifestyle. She is able to cope with these people because she is intelligent, beautiful, and cultured enough to swim in the ocean with these sharks.
The hero is the conservative type who is in some respects dead inside. The heroine is the one that lights him up for the first time ever. He is used to shallow gold digging socialites, and the h is as far away from that as possible. She is strong and has a backbone, plus she challenges him emotionally. Unfortunately he doesn’t recognize that he is falling in love with the heroine. He tries to show his love with 💰 . Big mistake! Our heroine wants a home and children, but her husband needs to be with her all the way. She’s hardly mistress material.
A few a weeks apart convinces the H he needs to take a chance. It is a sweet ending..although short.
There is some ow drama. Our h is pretty good about smacking down some of the minor players, but gets bamboozled by the main ow who makes an appearance near the end. Yet even with the OW she shows decorum and Grace with her exit. Along the way there are possible om’s which the H disposes of before they can get a foothold in. I really liked the H because it was obvious he was a good guy who either believed he didn’t deserve love or that quite simply believed love was an emotion. You could see throughout the story the h breaking down his barriers as they both fell in love. The sex in the book is all sweet, tame and wonderful. It is referred to as “making love” .
If you are looking for a sweet, low drama, some angst book give this a try.
December 6, 2015
Good Cinderella type story. Our hero Ramsey, sinfully rich, handsome etc. emotionally stunted, meets heroine Samantha, sweet pretty, teacher, aid worker too good to be true. He agrees to help her charity if she will go out w him to functions as his date to keep the bitches away from him. So the do. He gives her a hefty dress allowance as part of expenses. So fairytale continues in this fashion. Of course the goodness of the h melts the ice heart of the H and they have their HEA. Lost a star since it was so cliched.
June 16, 2011
The h is a teacher and volunteer at a food bank (do-gooder); the H is a lonely, rich guy working in Washington DC. She agrees to be his escort to the various holiday functions so he won't be bothered by other women. In exchange he'll make a a charitable contribution to her cause.
I like the contrast between their different lifestyles: he gives her an account to buy the designer clothes befitting of her pretend-girlfriend status while she knits him a homely sweater as a Christmas gift. She's surrounded by friends; he's surrounded by acquaintances.
But they fall in love, reconcile different lifestyles; love conquers all, opposites attract and so on.
Cute Christmassy book.
I like the contrast between their different lifestyles: he gives her an account to buy the designer clothes befitting of her pretend-girlfriend status while she knits him a homely sweater as a Christmas gift. She's surrounded by friends; he's surrounded by acquaintances.
But they fall in love, reconcile different lifestyles; love conquers all, opposites attract and so on.
Cute Christmassy book.
September 20, 2021
Sinfully rich
Though unaccustomed to socializing with the rich and famous, Samantha was a fast learner. The kind of money Ramsey MacMillan was offering to donate to her community-aid program made her determined to excel at her role--to attend fancy galas and protect Ramsey from women who found his devastating good looks and immense wealth simply irresistible.
Samantha knew that behind his cool, composed facade was a lonely man--a man she could easily love. But could she show Ramsey, who believed that everything had a price, that love came free when the heart was willing?
Though unaccustomed to socializing with the rich and famous, Samantha was a fast learner. The kind of money Ramsey MacMillan was offering to donate to her community-aid program made her determined to excel at her role--to attend fancy galas and protect Ramsey from women who found his devastating good looks and immense wealth simply irresistible.
Samantha knew that behind his cool, composed facade was a lonely man--a man she could easily love. But could she show Ramsey, who believed that everything had a price, that love came free when the heart was willing?
October 13, 2022
This was a really odd book to review. On the surface, it was chock full of themes I personally really enjoy—the cold, businesslike rich dude who offers a business deal to the sweet teacher who runs a soup kitchen—he will pay her to attend a certain number of events with him to keep predatory women away.
Maybe it's the fact that this theme has been written before—ad nauseum. Maybe the author was toeing the publisher's line and keeping the narrative sickeningly sweet and extremely Christmassy. Maybe three of this author's books in a row is way too much and had me noticing several similarities in her writing. Whatever the case, this book did not hit the mark at all.
Karen van de Zee specializes in writing about calm, steady men who are logical rather than passionate. She also writes about women who fall in love first.
In this case, I personally had a hard time understanding why the heroine fell for the guy. He had essentially no personality. He honestly acted like kind of a jerk—but the kind of jerk where I didn't fully buy the characterization because he wasn't set up to be a jerk, if that makes sense. The problem was that he was generally so considerate, and then he'd turn on a dime and say, I don't want to hear it, when she called to say she couldn't make it for an event (because her cousin or relative broke her leg and her girls had developed mono—actual details might be slightly different but you get the gist). Or he'd ask her a ton of questions and at the first question she asked him, he'd say, you're not allowed to ask me questions because I'm the employer. It was odd because the man the writer had started writing out was not this kind of person, and it felt like those details were then edited in later to propel the plot further. If the guy had been brusque and short from the beginning, the kind who's all about making money, no time to talk, I could buy it. The way it ended up, the characterization threw off the entire plot and made me question why she even fell for him first—or at all. She knew nothing about him! I mean, other than the fact he was rich and gave her a generous clothing allowance.
All the fancy galas were also a serious missed opportunity. The author spent a ton of time describing people she met there, and I could swear that Samantha did not talk to Ramsay once during those balls. Did they even arrive together? It was hard to tell.
The big conclusion is where he takes her to a fancy refurbished historical house and then offers to set her up there as his mistress. What even was he thinking with this? It honestly made no sense for him to do this except to dot the i's of this particular plotline. First of all, the house was obtrusively mentioned in the first or second chapter and it saddened me that I couldn't even be surprised by this grand gesture. Second, the teacher who told him she had a "great job" at the very beginning of the book (possibly in the same scene as the house) is definitely the right person to proposition and set up in a love nest. So in all those one-sided conversations (cross-examinations) he conducted with her, he never learned that she wasn't in it for the money? Really??? Wow, this couple really got each other. Ten stars for a true soulmate story. 🙄
Maybe it's the fact that this theme has been written before—ad nauseum. Maybe the author was toeing the publisher's line and keeping the narrative sickeningly sweet and extremely Christmassy. Maybe three of this author's books in a row is way too much and had me noticing several similarities in her writing. Whatever the case, this book did not hit the mark at all.
Karen van de Zee specializes in writing about calm, steady men who are logical rather than passionate. She also writes about women who fall in love first.
In this case, I personally had a hard time understanding why the heroine fell for the guy. He had essentially no personality. He honestly acted like kind of a jerk—but the kind of jerk where I didn't fully buy the characterization because he wasn't set up to be a jerk, if that makes sense. The problem was that he was generally so considerate, and then he'd turn on a dime and say, I don't want to hear it, when she called to say she couldn't make it for an event (because her cousin or relative broke her leg and her girls had developed mono—actual details might be slightly different but you get the gist). Or he'd ask her a ton of questions and at the first question she asked him, he'd say, you're not allowed to ask me questions because I'm the employer. It was odd because the man the writer had started writing out was not this kind of person, and it felt like those details were then edited in later to propel the plot further. If the guy had been brusque and short from the beginning, the kind who's all about making money, no time to talk, I could buy it. The way it ended up, the characterization threw off the entire plot and made me question why she even fell for him first—or at all. She knew nothing about him! I mean, other than the fact he was rich and gave her a generous clothing allowance.
All the fancy galas were also a serious missed opportunity. The author spent a ton of time describing people she met there, and I could swear that Samantha did not talk to Ramsay once during those balls. Did they even arrive together? It was hard to tell.
The big conclusion is where he takes her to a fancy refurbished historical house and then offers to set her up there as his mistress. What even was he thinking with this? It honestly made no sense for him to do this except to dot the i's of this particular plotline. First of all, the house was obtrusively mentioned in the first or second chapter and it saddened me that I couldn't even be surprised by this grand gesture. Second, the teacher who told him she had a "great job" at the very beginning of the book (possibly in the same scene as the house) is definitely the right person to proposition and set up in a love nest. So in all those one-sided conversations (cross-examinations) he conducted with her, he never learned that she wasn't in it for the money? Really??? Wow, this couple really got each other. Ten stars for a true soulmate story. 🙄
December 5, 2020
This was sweet. Really liked the heroine, she was smart, makes mistakes, and stood up for herself. The hero was broody, and was using the wrong tactics to try to win the heroine over, and he has to change and become vulnerable to get her in the end. Nice story. Read it for the holidays.
March 14, 2022
The H was clearly besotted at first glance and he let the h know in every way, words actions eyes and husky voice lol. The h did have a tendency of making it obvious that she wanted more from him, but at the same time was constantly telling herself not to get involved and to accept his words at face value. At one point she jokingly says she wants to know more about him, at which he quite literally replies " You don't ~need~ to know more about me." Ouch. Still stings. TBH, by this time the H has been cuddling, hugging, grabbing hands, moony-eyed over the h so it's not like the h misread the situation. Put it short, the H has commitment issues and I am glad that the h gives him a bashing and an ultimatum towards the end - which initially doesn't work tbh, and she returns back home alone.
The H later shows up on her birthday with a ring and tells her that although he never thought marriage was for him, living without her was horrible so we get our HEA.
I liked it, but a part of me felt that although the H felt very deeply for the h, even loved her, he only proposed cz that's the only way the h would have him.
The H later shows up on her birthday with a ring and tells her that although he never thought marriage was for him, living without her was horrible so we get our HEA.
I liked it, but a part of me felt that although the H felt very deeply for the h, even loved her, he only proposed cz that's the only way the h would have him.
November 20, 2022
Samantha is the chairperson of ACTION, an aid programme full of volunteers to help needy families especially during festival times. She was gathering donated foods one night with the volunteers when she noticed Ramsey MacMillan. He was unsually dressed in three layered suit and came with Alicia, a rich volunteer friend of hers. Samantha treated him lightly that night, but the following day when he proposed to donate eight thousand to ACTION in exchange for her accompanying him to parties and getting rid of adventurous women approaching him, she had to take him seriously. Samantha was strong, and even though the idea of accompanying an intimidating man like Ramsey terrified her, she did accompany him for ACTION sake. It was difficult and more so when she started having feelings for Ramsey.
It's an okay story. Good for passing time. Fun and light to read in some parts as well. But, not one of the woow novels.
It's an okay story. Good for passing time. Fun and light to read in some parts as well. But, not one of the woow novels.
February 19, 2023
This book fulfilled a long-wanted book dream of mine: a heroine who genuinely gives zero shits about the H being rich. She thinks his penthouse is cold and soulless, the swanky parties, celebrity pals and posh restaurants a bit of a joke, the dresses and gifts laughably tasteless and his offers of money an insult. She's perfectly happy with her life, she loves being a teacher, she loves her cosey house, she loves her cheap homemade soups and slobby clothes, and she absolutely doesn't need to be rescued from it all. God I loved every moment of it, especially when he grovels like mad and meets her on HER level at the very end. None of this 'whisk her away to charmed life' guff, he says 'you carry on being a teacher and I'll fit in around you, just don't leave me'. FINALLY! I really really loved this author, this is the first time I've read her stuff and I'm seriously hoping she has a chunky back catalogue for me to dive into :)
September 27, 2023
Probably a 3.5, if only for the lovely cover. Did you ever see such a look of happiness on a Hs face? This H, Ramsey is very repressed and solitary and is very taken with excessively perky optimistic schoolteacher Samantha who he asks to be arm candy for a social season in return for donating to her community food bank.I haven't read this author before so I'll try another to see whether the oh my, apple pie idiom/voice is representative just of the h's personality or if it's the author's style.
February 22, 2025
I really loved reading this story!
August 16, 2015
tre stelle e mezzo
Altro recupero dallo scatolone del passato ^^
Harmony del 1995.
Devo scrivere una cosa che mi ero ripromessa di non fare mai, cioè il riferimento alla famosa saga delle Sfumature (mi dà fastidio ogni volta che è usato come termine di paragone).
Ad eccezione della parte relativa a Dominatori e Sottomesse, in questo libricino ci sono molti particolari che me la ricordano.
C’è un contratto (non di natura sessuale), c’è lei che si morde spesso il labbro, c’è lui che è arrogante, ricco e potente, c’è un attico, c’è un ascensore fonte di momenti di tensione, ci sono i vestiti di lusso, i regali costosi (non richiesti), c’è lei che in cucina canta mentre prepara da mangiare, c’è lei che s’innamora, che fugge perché si rende conto di quanto sono diversi, lui che torna a riprendersela. Come ho già spesso, tanti romanzi rosa, alla fine, sono ispirati a Cenerentola ^^ però qui le situazioni descritte sono davvero molto simili alle Sfumature. Sembra che la James si sia ispirata più a questo libricino che a Twilight.
Piccola riflessione, leggere Harmony così d’annata fa impressione perché ci riporta ad un’epoca che non c’è più. Per esempio, per telefonare fuori da casa ti dovevi fermare ad una cabina telefonica, per sentire la musica dovevi avere un mangianastri e delle cassette. Fa pensare a come, velocemente, è cambiato il mondo e le nostre abitudini.
Altro recupero dallo scatolone del passato ^^
Harmony del 1995.
Devo scrivere una cosa che mi ero ripromessa di non fare mai, cioè il riferimento alla famosa saga delle Sfumature (mi dà fastidio ogni volta che è usato come termine di paragone).
Ad eccezione della parte relativa a Dominatori e Sottomesse, in questo libricino ci sono molti particolari che me la ricordano.
C’è un contratto (non di natura sessuale), c’è lei che si morde spesso il labbro, c’è lui che è arrogante, ricco e potente, c’è un attico, c’è un ascensore fonte di momenti di tensione, ci sono i vestiti di lusso, i regali costosi (non richiesti), c’è lei che in cucina canta mentre prepara da mangiare, c’è lei che s’innamora, che fugge perché si rende conto di quanto sono diversi, lui che torna a riprendersela. Come ho già spesso, tanti romanzi rosa, alla fine, sono ispirati a Cenerentola ^^ però qui le situazioni descritte sono davvero molto simili alle Sfumature. Sembra che la James si sia ispirata più a questo libricino che a Twilight.
Piccola riflessione, leggere Harmony così d’annata fa impressione perché ci riporta ad un’epoca che non c’è più. Per esempio, per telefonare fuori da casa ti dovevi fermare ad una cabina telefonica, per sentire la musica dovevi avere un mangianastri e delle cassette. Fa pensare a come, velocemente, è cambiato il mondo e le nostre abitudini.
February 6, 2013
quote:'I don't know what will happen,I only know I can't stop it.I want to be with him.'Samantha had smiled brightly.'I suppose if I want to ruin my life I've got the right to do it.'
wonderful heroine- hero compares her with red color that is bright and passionate,she is so vivid...
i really liked this one suppose you should actually read it at Christmas time it reminds me of other novel i think its -twelve days of Christmas- it's light and fun and emotional read ,nothing annoyed me,i got really involved and that's why it's 5 star!
btw.this book left me satisfied-sometimes after reading something it feels like you just lost money and time but this one left me warm and I won't read yet another book not to spoil feeling...
wonderful heroine- hero compares her with red color that is bright and passionate,she is so vivid...
i really liked this one suppose you should actually read it at Christmas time it reminds me of other novel i think its -twelve days of Christmas- it's light and fun and emotional read ,nothing annoyed me,i got really involved and that's why it's 5 star!
btw.this book left me satisfied-sometimes after reading something it feels like you just lost money and time but this one left me warm and I won't read yet another book not to spoil feeling...
July 5, 2014
I was so busy recently that I haven't read for some time just for leisure. I am glad the book I picked up to to read is this one. The heroine is a very lovable person, has principle and know what she wants. You can clearly see the hero also truly didn't understand you can't buy love with money. I really like the interaction between the characters. A great read.
July 27, 2016
I've been looking for a sweet tender romance book like " Sweet Compulsion" by Victoria Woolf. It started good, but I wish Ramsey would show more of his feelings toward Sam in the middle. However, it's a well written book.
July 18, 2016
Too sappy even for this kind of books.
Also he's very boring. How can you fall in love with someone who has such a bland personality?
I'm sorry Karen van der Zee, it's a no from me.
Also he's very boring. How can you fall in love with someone who has such a bland personality?
I'm sorry Karen van der Zee, it's a no from me.
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June 21, 2018Sinfully rich
Though unaccustomed to socializing with the rich and famous, Samantha was a fast learner. The kind of money Ramsey MacMillan was offering to donate to her community-aid program made her determined to excel at her role--to attend fancy galas and protect Ramsey from women who found his devastating good looks and immense wealth simply irresistible.
Samantha knew that behind his cool, composed facade was a lonely man--a man she could easily love. But could she show Ramsey, who believed that everything had a price, that love came free when the heart was willing?
Though unaccustomed to socializing with the rich and famous, Samantha was a fast learner. The kind of money Ramsey MacMillan was offering to donate to her community-aid program made her determined to excel at her role--to attend fancy galas and protect Ramsey from women who found his devastating good looks and immense wealth simply irresistible.
Samantha knew that behind his cool, composed facade was a lonely man--a man she could easily love. But could she show Ramsey, who believed that everything had a price, that love came free when the heart was willing?
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews