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Breaking Point
The honeymoon was over...
Rafe had wanted Tanya the moment he saw her. When he proposed, she'd been deliciously happy - happy to give up her job without a second thought, and devote herself to decorating their beautiful new home in Sydney's most prestigious neighborhood.
She hadn't realized then that the only intimacy he wanted with her was in their bed. Rafe put business - including his cool blond personal assistant - first.
Tanya was not about to spend the rest of her life waiting for a man who thought another woman was more important than his wife. The honeymoon was over. The marriage was at the breaking point.
Rafe had wanted Tanya the moment he saw her. When he proposed, she'd been deliciously happy - happy to give up her job without a second thought, and devote herself to decorating their beautiful new home in Sydney's most prestigious neighborhood.
She hadn't realized then that the only intimacy he wanted with her was in their bed. Rafe put business - including his cool blond personal assistant - first.
Tanya was not about to spend the rest of her life waiting for a man who thought another woman was more important than his wife. The honeymoon was over. The marriage was at the breaking point.
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1992
14 people are currently reading
1369 people want to read
About the author
Emma Darcy
640 books325 followersEmma Darcy is the pseudonym created by the married writing team of Wendy (1940-2020) and Frank Brennan (1936-1995). Their life journey has taken as many twists and turns as the characters in their stories, whose international popularity has resulted in over sixty-million book sales. With more than a hundred titles, Emma Darcy appeared regularly on the Waldenbooks bestseller lists in the U.S.A. and in the Nielson BookScan Top 100 chart in the U.K.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
September 10, 2017
Re Breaking Point - Emma Darcy tells a story of the marriage in trouble with a 23 yr old flame haired h who is tired of being compartmentalized by her real estate tycoon husband into nothing more than a convenient lurve club object while his real life takes place by the side of another woman- who is also his employee and ten years older than the h. This one is controversial in reader ratings, some people see it as a cheating story while others see it as a lack of marital communication exploration. I have views on this, (when don't I? LOL)
But before I get into the spoilerization, I am going to explain the origins of the word infidelity and hope that you keep that in the back of your mind as I dish the details on this book.
The word infidelity comes from the Old French infidélité , where it was derived from the older Latin word infidelitatem which literally means unfaithfulness or disloyalty to a person - originally this was meant as disloyalty to a ruler or an overlord, but over time became more associated with disloyalty to the vows with your spouse.
Most specifically the traditional marital contract in the wedding service that states "What God has joined, let no man put asunder." So when the word becomes a part of the English language, it literally means that an infidel is a person who has proven unfaithful to their vow and disloyal to their partner - they have let someone else sunder the "two shall be as one" concept of marriage.
As the years progress and the language changes to our modern parlance, infidelity commonly means that one spouse goes outside the relationship for their physical gratification. But that is a common inference, the original meaning of disloyalty to another person has not changed. In whatever form that may be, it is the disloyalty that creates a distance that is the act of infidelity- not the form it takes.
This book opens with a very unhappy h, she has been married for two years and it is becoming increasingly apparent to the h that she is a very distant second place in her husband's life. He is very preoccupied with business and the lady who helps him run that business. So much so that the only times the H and h are really together is in bed, and she is a bit tired of being treated as an empty headed lurve object. The H continually neglects to spend anytime that isn't in bed with the h, he doesn't even bother to call home when he is going to be hours late anymore and when the h protests this treatment, he just seduces her all over again.
The h is just as passionate as the H is, so it isn't the lurve mojo that is the problem. It is the fact that the H refuses to have children, refuses to confide ANYTHING personal to the h and really uses the h as a responsive blow up doll that has her so agitated. Especially since the H is all too willing to share and strategize with his lovely blonde co-worker - who treats the h with all the condescending contempt an adult has for a recalcitrant two year old AND this woman subtly influences the H to treat the h the same way.
The H isn't listening to the h about what she wants and needs AT ALL, and worse yet, he IS listening to what the Blonde Business Man Stealer tells him is wrong with the h. This hurts the h, cause she is a nice, old fashioned girl who wants a marriage and a family and she is not stupid, no matter how much the H believes she is. She had a job that was a real researcher job for a television host and it involved serious brain power and the H made her give it up to be his married private boudoir toy. A crossroads has been reached and the h isn't ashamed to fight for her husband and she is more than ready to lay down the ultimatum - either your business tart or me, the H cannot have both.
The way the h intends to deliver this ultimatum is via a form she knows the H will understand, she seduces him when he comes home from work and right before he is set to drag her out to a big business event - where the OW is waiting to take her place at the H's side. The h is hoping the H will put her first, but of course he doesn't after he is all lurved up. So the h is on to round two, she will force the H not to leave her side by wearing the most seductive black gown since Jessica Rabbit showed up all decked out in red and the H is so worried that another man might steal a march on his possession, that he doesn't leave her side. This discommodes the OW, who was all to ready to send the h off to mingle while she and her partner H did business battle on some property the H wants to develop.
Things take a dive tho when the man the H wants to do business with becomes really enamored with the h and the H glowers in jealousy - stoked by the OW- as the potential business partner leads the h off to dance. The h is disheartened, cause she knows the H believes that the h wore the dress she has on not to keep him close, but to entice other men. The h is realizing that her hopes and her marriage are pretty much futile in the face of the implacability of the H - and ED makes sure that the limited H POV we get reinforces the h's conclusions- so the night ends with the h talking to her old boss in a chance meeting, the H storming up and being obnoxious and the h taking his wallet to pay for a cab ride home but she ends up in a lonely hotel room instead.
When the h ends her night of soul searching over the dissolution of her marriage, she takes a cab home from the hotel to find the H waiting. This surprises her, as she figured he would be done and dusted and back at work with his OW. There is a violent forced seduction borderline rape scene and the while the h is happy that the H finally let go of his control around her, she is pretty tormented that he felt he was justified in forced sex as punishment for his presumption of the h's infidelity - the H believes she went out and cheated on him and we find out later that this assumption was planted in the H's head by the OW.
The h is done with the H, she is done being a doll and she is just plain done with the H's loyalty to the OW and not to her, the woman he made vows to. She moves home to her Grandma, who is easily one of the best Grandma's in HPlandia ever -and wins flower shows because she feeds her stunning plants water and Vegemite. Grandma is very blunt, very loving and very good at not trying to take sides or pimp the h out to her husband cause she married him. Grandma won't let the h avoid confronting the H when he shows up, but she doesn't force the h to be with him either and she takes neither side in the marital dispute, nor will she tell the h what she should do, she just lets the h figure things out for herself and I loved Grandma.
In fact the only comment that Grandma makes about the situation at all is when the H is complaining to her that the h has dumped him and Grandma comes out with this ...
' "Your granddaughter is totally unreasonable!" he shot at her. "Possibly," Bea said noncommittally. "I do wish you'd sit down, Rafe. Perhaps you'd like to talk to me about Niki Sandstrom."
"No!" he seethed. "There is nothing to talk about!"
"It has always been my opinion," Bea said musingly, "that there can be worse kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual."
"Bea... this is crazy! This is neurotic imagining at its worst!" Bea sighed. "Rafe, I'm a simple woman with a very simple outlook on life. I've always found that things work out best if you keep to certain simple rules. Right down the line. And one of the first rules for a successful marriage is loyalty to your partner. Total loyalty.'
But the H storms off and the h goes back to her old job with her old boss and gets her sense of self and some confidence back. Her newly divorced boss also has some very good advice about talking in marriage, but he refrains from knowing any details and is just happy he has a great researcher back. The h also stays at Grandma's and rejects the H's many roses he keeps sending. After some serious h and H wrangling, the h does accept an invitation from the H to visit his widowed mother and his nine brother's and sisters, as they don't know the H and h have separated.
The H is like a god to his mother and he continually has to manage her and his brother's and sister's problems for them, so it is really important that he not seem to be a failure in front of them and if the h doesn't go, the H will feel that he isn't the strong person he needs to be for them. This insecurity from the H gives the h a little bit of hope and she agrees she will do the supportive wife bit. Tho that outing is almost torpedoed when the h smells the OW's perfume saturating the H's car and the H admits that he took the OW out to dinner and talked about his marital problems with her.
The h then explains to the really dim witted H that the OW is a rival and in love with the H. She gives a point by point explanation of all she assumes the OW is doing, things like being empathetic to the H's complaints about the h, spilling her very expensive perfume in the car - which most women are really careful about not doing cause that perfume is really pricey- in the hopes of unsettling the h and letting the h know that the OW is close to her husband and the various other tricks the OW is using to split them up. The h then has the satisfaction of seeing the H's look of shock as the h describes the OW's behavior perfectly and the H is wondering how she knew all that the OW did when he never said anything.
But the H refuses to believe the OW is coming between them, he also refuses to believe that it is his continual demand that the h accept what he wants for her as opposed to what she wants for herself that is causing the disharmony between them. The h loves the H, but she isn't going to be boxed away into the running the house/being a lurve toy at the H's convenience, even tho he tells her she can have a baby.
The h does get a little more insight to the H when she realizes that both of his parents made him responsible for their family when they were both too busy getting their groove on and basically made the H the provider and caretaker for the whole family and that this was really a heavy burden on the H, but it also made him really dogmatic and demanding about him getting his own way. When the H's father died and left his helpless mother and all his siblings behind, the burden on the H became even heavier, but everyone is grown now and the h is not just another burden to be cared for.
However the h also has the understanding that the H needs his role in the family for his own self esteem and that he can't stand to appear to need anyone else or tell her that he might have needs other than in the bedroom, cause he believes that no one will meet them. The h spends the day trying to show the H that she is a good partner and can meet his needs and be supportive, but when his mother starts pressing about grandchildren, the h realizes that the H probably doesn't want to have them and may never be ready to have them. Aside from the OW, this is another problem for the h, cause she wants children a lot and to her, a loving partner and a family are huge needs and goals for her life.
The H manages to surprise both the h and the reader after the day at his mother's. He admits that he took it for granted that the h would just automatically want what he wanted and do what he told her to and feel how he wanted her to feel. He also admits that he saw her as some sort of reward and not a person and then he asks if the OW weren't involved, would things be different between them. The h gently explains that as long as he sees her as a object and not a person, their marriage isn't going to work and then she and the H go off on their ways, both with a lot of things to think about.
The h then discovers that she is preggers and she doesn't know what to do. Her boss takes her to lunch with the business partner the H originally wanted to do a deal with and while they are there talking about a future interview with the man, the h sees the H and the OW out having lunch too. She and the H are cordial to each other and the H is surprised to see that his wife does have a brain for a business meeting, he also finally realizes just how contemptuous and dismissive of his wife the OW really is and that the h was correct in her assessment that the OW has spent years being in love with him and has been actively working to ruin their marriage.
The h doesn't know this, she just decides that the H has made enough progress towards seeing her as a person and there is also the baby, that she will go ahead and move back home. There is a big lurve mojo filled reunion and then the h announces the impending stork arrival. The H, who accepted the OW's resignation earlier but hasn't told the h, has one more bout of total brain deadness and accuses the h of having a baby by another man because the OW told him that the h was with the other man who the H wanted to do a real estate deal with. The h loses her temper in a HUGE way and tells him off and promptly falls down the stairs and knocks herself out in her rage that the H took the OW's word over her own.
The H panics and thinks the h might either miscarry or die, she is unresponsive and unconscious and things get real clear for him in a real big hurry. He loves the h madly and wants her to be happy and is now really, really, really sorry for being so blind and ignorant, now that he might lose the h.
The h wakes up in hospital, she hasn't lost the baby and the H is very remorseful and contrite. The two of them really, finally talk about what they want in the marriage and the H agrees to be more compromising in his expectations and he explains that he finally caught on to the OW's manipulations and that she is out of their lives for good. He also claims that he did not want the h to be tied down by children like he was with his brother's and sisters but the h explains that she was an only child and a few kids is her big dream. So they both reaffirm that they love each other and will help each other live out their dreams.
The epilogue is the H and h's baby boy's christening and the h's old boss with the good marital advice has gotten an HEA of his own with the H's widowed sister and the H and h are talking and sharing and the h's grandma confides that the h's grandpa was a bit of a devil in bed himself. So the h is stunned that her grandma knows so much about married passion things and she and the H sneak off to lurve it up for the big HEA.
I like this book a lot and I put it on the required HP reading list. Whether you believe the H was unfaithful or not, it is a really good look at building a marriage after the typical HP HEA and it has an h that really stands out from the HP typical virgin h prototype. I think this one has a lot of good advice about marriage too, tho it never becomes preachy or too introspective, it does show a lot about how a good marital partnership should work and the H manages to redeem himself in the end, so the HEA is absolutely believable.
As to whether or not the H committed infidelity, well I do believe he was unfaithful. No he never wanted to go to bed with the OW, but to me fidelity means loyalty and this H was patently disloyal to his wife every single time he put the OW first and when he took the OW's word for things, instead of asking and trusting his wife. The final seal on that decision was when he confided about his marital troubles to the OW over dinner. I don't care how much you swear that you are just business partners, when you confide your spousal woes to the very person that your spouse has declared a problem, and they sympathize and degrade your spouse, it is infidelity and you are a cheating slime swiller and deserve a skillet whack or twenty.
Other readers may disagree with this and I can see why they would say that. My answer to that is that the standards for infidelity always reside with the two partners in the relationship, any act which makes the other partner feel betrayed and diminished are for that partner to judge and this h obviously and clearly stated that she felt the H was disloyal and that he betrayed the marital vows as she understood them. The h felt cheated on and it is HER standards that count. No matter what the H says, she is entitled to her feelings about the H and his actions and his other relationships and I totally support her right to accuse him and call a halt on that.
All too often in HPlandia an h is told that the H's actions are fine and she is wrong and I am totally not down with that. People have the right to determine their standards for fidelity in a relationship and who cares what anyone else thinks. If the partners can't find a common ground on that, then the relationship needs to end and people need to find someone more compatible.
If you are married or in a committed relationship and the other partner feels that a relationship you have is threatening your marital relationship, it is your duty and obligation to listen and take your partner's concerns as a serious consideration. You can act on it however you want, but blind stubbornness or trying to tell the partner that they have no reason to feel as they do is never the answer in my worldview, you are going to wind up divorced or broken up.
Your partner may be wildly jealous in your opinion or their feelings may have some merit, but either way you need to listen and you need to act and you need to not belittle or diminish their feelings. The H had to learn this the hard way here, but he does learn it and that makes this book a great book on marital fidelity and a required reading for an HPlandia outing.
But before I get into the spoilerization, I am going to explain the origins of the word infidelity and hope that you keep that in the back of your mind as I dish the details on this book.
The word infidelity comes from the Old French infidélité , where it was derived from the older Latin word infidelitatem which literally means unfaithfulness or disloyalty to a person - originally this was meant as disloyalty to a ruler or an overlord, but over time became more associated with disloyalty to the vows with your spouse.
Most specifically the traditional marital contract in the wedding service that states "What God has joined, let no man put asunder." So when the word becomes a part of the English language, it literally means that an infidel is a person who has proven unfaithful to their vow and disloyal to their partner - they have let someone else sunder the "two shall be as one" concept of marriage.
As the years progress and the language changes to our modern parlance, infidelity commonly means that one spouse goes outside the relationship for their physical gratification. But that is a common inference, the original meaning of disloyalty to another person has not changed. In whatever form that may be, it is the disloyalty that creates a distance that is the act of infidelity- not the form it takes.
This book opens with a very unhappy h, she has been married for two years and it is becoming increasingly apparent to the h that she is a very distant second place in her husband's life. He is very preoccupied with business and the lady who helps him run that business. So much so that the only times the H and h are really together is in bed, and she is a bit tired of being treated as an empty headed lurve object. The H continually neglects to spend anytime that isn't in bed with the h, he doesn't even bother to call home when he is going to be hours late anymore and when the h protests this treatment, he just seduces her all over again.
The h is just as passionate as the H is, so it isn't the lurve mojo that is the problem. It is the fact that the H refuses to have children, refuses to confide ANYTHING personal to the h and really uses the h as a responsive blow up doll that has her so agitated. Especially since the H is all too willing to share and strategize with his lovely blonde co-worker - who treats the h with all the condescending contempt an adult has for a recalcitrant two year old AND this woman subtly influences the H to treat the h the same way.
The H isn't listening to the h about what she wants and needs AT ALL, and worse yet, he IS listening to what the Blonde Business Man Stealer tells him is wrong with the h. This hurts the h, cause she is a nice, old fashioned girl who wants a marriage and a family and she is not stupid, no matter how much the H believes she is. She had a job that was a real researcher job for a television host and it involved serious brain power and the H made her give it up to be his married private boudoir toy. A crossroads has been reached and the h isn't ashamed to fight for her husband and she is more than ready to lay down the ultimatum - either your business tart or me, the H cannot have both.
The way the h intends to deliver this ultimatum is via a form she knows the H will understand, she seduces him when he comes home from work and right before he is set to drag her out to a big business event - where the OW is waiting to take her place at the H's side. The h is hoping the H will put her first, but of course he doesn't after he is all lurved up. So the h is on to round two, she will force the H not to leave her side by wearing the most seductive black gown since Jessica Rabbit showed up all decked out in red and the H is so worried that another man might steal a march on his possession, that he doesn't leave her side. This discommodes the OW, who was all to ready to send the h off to mingle while she and her partner H did business battle on some property the H wants to develop.
Things take a dive tho when the man the H wants to do business with becomes really enamored with the h and the H glowers in jealousy - stoked by the OW- as the potential business partner leads the h off to dance. The h is disheartened, cause she knows the H believes that the h wore the dress she has on not to keep him close, but to entice other men. The h is realizing that her hopes and her marriage are pretty much futile in the face of the implacability of the H - and ED makes sure that the limited H POV we get reinforces the h's conclusions- so the night ends with the h talking to her old boss in a chance meeting, the H storming up and being obnoxious and the h taking his wallet to pay for a cab ride home but she ends up in a lonely hotel room instead.
When the h ends her night of soul searching over the dissolution of her marriage, she takes a cab home from the hotel to find the H waiting. This surprises her, as she figured he would be done and dusted and back at work with his OW. There is a violent forced seduction borderline rape scene and the while the h is happy that the H finally let go of his control around her, she is pretty tormented that he felt he was justified in forced sex as punishment for his presumption of the h's infidelity - the H believes she went out and cheated on him and we find out later that this assumption was planted in the H's head by the OW.
The h is done with the H, she is done being a doll and she is just plain done with the H's loyalty to the OW and not to her, the woman he made vows to. She moves home to her Grandma, who is easily one of the best Grandma's in HPlandia ever -and wins flower shows because she feeds her stunning plants water and Vegemite. Grandma is very blunt, very loving and very good at not trying to take sides or pimp the h out to her husband cause she married him. Grandma won't let the h avoid confronting the H when he shows up, but she doesn't force the h to be with him either and she takes neither side in the marital dispute, nor will she tell the h what she should do, she just lets the h figure things out for herself and I loved Grandma.
In fact the only comment that Grandma makes about the situation at all is when the H is complaining to her that the h has dumped him and Grandma comes out with this ...
' "Your granddaughter is totally unreasonable!" he shot at her. "Possibly," Bea said noncommittally. "I do wish you'd sit down, Rafe. Perhaps you'd like to talk to me about Niki Sandstrom."
"No!" he seethed. "There is nothing to talk about!"
"It has always been my opinion," Bea said musingly, "that there can be worse kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual."
"Bea... this is crazy! This is neurotic imagining at its worst!" Bea sighed. "Rafe, I'm a simple woman with a very simple outlook on life. I've always found that things work out best if you keep to certain simple rules. Right down the line. And one of the first rules for a successful marriage is loyalty to your partner. Total loyalty.'
But the H storms off and the h goes back to her old job with her old boss and gets her sense of self and some confidence back. Her newly divorced boss also has some very good advice about talking in marriage, but he refrains from knowing any details and is just happy he has a great researcher back. The h also stays at Grandma's and rejects the H's many roses he keeps sending. After some serious h and H wrangling, the h does accept an invitation from the H to visit his widowed mother and his nine brother's and sisters, as they don't know the H and h have separated.
The H is like a god to his mother and he continually has to manage her and his brother's and sister's problems for them, so it is really important that he not seem to be a failure in front of them and if the h doesn't go, the H will feel that he isn't the strong person he needs to be for them. This insecurity from the H gives the h a little bit of hope and she agrees she will do the supportive wife bit. Tho that outing is almost torpedoed when the h smells the OW's perfume saturating the H's car and the H admits that he took the OW out to dinner and talked about his marital problems with her.
The h then explains to the really dim witted H that the OW is a rival and in love with the H. She gives a point by point explanation of all she assumes the OW is doing, things like being empathetic to the H's complaints about the h, spilling her very expensive perfume in the car - which most women are really careful about not doing cause that perfume is really pricey- in the hopes of unsettling the h and letting the h know that the OW is close to her husband and the various other tricks the OW is using to split them up. The h then has the satisfaction of seeing the H's look of shock as the h describes the OW's behavior perfectly and the H is wondering how she knew all that the OW did when he never said anything.
But the H refuses to believe the OW is coming between them, he also refuses to believe that it is his continual demand that the h accept what he wants for her as opposed to what she wants for herself that is causing the disharmony between them. The h loves the H, but she isn't going to be boxed away into the running the house/being a lurve toy at the H's convenience, even tho he tells her she can have a baby.
The h does get a little more insight to the H when she realizes that both of his parents made him responsible for their family when they were both too busy getting their groove on and basically made the H the provider and caretaker for the whole family and that this was really a heavy burden on the H, but it also made him really dogmatic and demanding about him getting his own way. When the H's father died and left his helpless mother and all his siblings behind, the burden on the H became even heavier, but everyone is grown now and the h is not just another burden to be cared for.
However the h also has the understanding that the H needs his role in the family for his own self esteem and that he can't stand to appear to need anyone else or tell her that he might have needs other than in the bedroom, cause he believes that no one will meet them. The h spends the day trying to show the H that she is a good partner and can meet his needs and be supportive, but when his mother starts pressing about grandchildren, the h realizes that the H probably doesn't want to have them and may never be ready to have them. Aside from the OW, this is another problem for the h, cause she wants children a lot and to her, a loving partner and a family are huge needs and goals for her life.
The H manages to surprise both the h and the reader after the day at his mother's. He admits that he took it for granted that the h would just automatically want what he wanted and do what he told her to and feel how he wanted her to feel. He also admits that he saw her as some sort of reward and not a person and then he asks if the OW weren't involved, would things be different between them. The h gently explains that as long as he sees her as a object and not a person, their marriage isn't going to work and then she and the H go off on their ways, both with a lot of things to think about.
The h then discovers that she is preggers and she doesn't know what to do. Her boss takes her to lunch with the business partner the H originally wanted to do a deal with and while they are there talking about a future interview with the man, the h sees the H and the OW out having lunch too. She and the H are cordial to each other and the H is surprised to see that his wife does have a brain for a business meeting, he also finally realizes just how contemptuous and dismissive of his wife the OW really is and that the h was correct in her assessment that the OW has spent years being in love with him and has been actively working to ruin their marriage.
The h doesn't know this, she just decides that the H has made enough progress towards seeing her as a person and there is also the baby, that she will go ahead and move back home. There is a big lurve mojo filled reunion and then the h announces the impending stork arrival. The H, who accepted the OW's resignation earlier but hasn't told the h, has one more bout of total brain deadness and accuses the h of having a baby by another man because the OW told him that the h was with the other man who the H wanted to do a real estate deal with. The h loses her temper in a HUGE way and tells him off and promptly falls down the stairs and knocks herself out in her rage that the H took the OW's word over her own.
The H panics and thinks the h might either miscarry or die, she is unresponsive and unconscious and things get real clear for him in a real big hurry. He loves the h madly and wants her to be happy and is now really, really, really sorry for being so blind and ignorant, now that he might lose the h.
The h wakes up in hospital, she hasn't lost the baby and the H is very remorseful and contrite. The two of them really, finally talk about what they want in the marriage and the H agrees to be more compromising in his expectations and he explains that he finally caught on to the OW's manipulations and that she is out of their lives for good. He also claims that he did not want the h to be tied down by children like he was with his brother's and sisters but the h explains that she was an only child and a few kids is her big dream. So they both reaffirm that they love each other and will help each other live out their dreams.
The epilogue is the H and h's baby boy's christening and the h's old boss with the good marital advice has gotten an HEA of his own with the H's widowed sister and the H and h are talking and sharing and the h's grandma confides that the h's grandpa was a bit of a devil in bed himself. So the h is stunned that her grandma knows so much about married passion things and she and the H sneak off to lurve it up for the big HEA.
I like this book a lot and I put it on the required HP reading list. Whether you believe the H was unfaithful or not, it is a really good look at building a marriage after the typical HP HEA and it has an h that really stands out from the HP typical virgin h prototype. I think this one has a lot of good advice about marriage too, tho it never becomes preachy or too introspective, it does show a lot about how a good marital partnership should work and the H manages to redeem himself in the end, so the HEA is absolutely believable.
As to whether or not the H committed infidelity, well I do believe he was unfaithful. No he never wanted to go to bed with the OW, but to me fidelity means loyalty and this H was patently disloyal to his wife every single time he put the OW first and when he took the OW's word for things, instead of asking and trusting his wife. The final seal on that decision was when he confided about his marital troubles to the OW over dinner. I don't care how much you swear that you are just business partners, when you confide your spousal woes to the very person that your spouse has declared a problem, and they sympathize and degrade your spouse, it is infidelity and you are a cheating slime swiller and deserve a skillet whack or twenty.
Other readers may disagree with this and I can see why they would say that. My answer to that is that the standards for infidelity always reside with the two partners in the relationship, any act which makes the other partner feel betrayed and diminished are for that partner to judge and this h obviously and clearly stated that she felt the H was disloyal and that he betrayed the marital vows as she understood them. The h felt cheated on and it is HER standards that count. No matter what the H says, she is entitled to her feelings about the H and his actions and his other relationships and I totally support her right to accuse him and call a halt on that.
All too often in HPlandia an h is told that the H's actions are fine and she is wrong and I am totally not down with that. People have the right to determine their standards for fidelity in a relationship and who cares what anyone else thinks. If the partners can't find a common ground on that, then the relationship needs to end and people need to find someone more compatible.
If you are married or in a committed relationship and the other partner feels that a relationship you have is threatening your marital relationship, it is your duty and obligation to listen and take your partner's concerns as a serious consideration. You can act on it however you want, but blind stubbornness or trying to tell the partner that they have no reason to feel as they do is never the answer in my worldview, you are going to wind up divorced or broken up.
Your partner may be wildly jealous in your opinion or their feelings may have some merit, but either way you need to listen and you need to act and you need to not belittle or diminish their feelings. The H had to learn this the hard way here, but he does learn it and that makes this book a great book on marital fidelity and a required reading for an HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2021
I enjoyed this one. This is an interesting contrast to Lindsay Armstrong's The Director's Wife, which I also read today. Both are stories of a marriage in trouble because the wife feels she is only a sexual object and not an integral part of the hero's life outside the domestic realm.
What worked for me in this novel is that we get the hero's point of view and he truly was clueless about what the heroine was going through. Both were very passionate about each other, but had lost the path to communication. The OW was a problem, but this was not a cheating book. It was more about the hero cheating himself of true intimacy with his wife and his wife not knowing the right way to open up that intimacy.
Once the heroine figured out why the hero was the way he was, she was able to control her speech and help the hero see just how devastating the OW was to their relationship. There is a forced seduction at the low point of their relationship and tumble down the stars that makes the hero realize how he hasn't opened up enough to this wife. There were some nice touches in the characters of the heroine's grandmother who has some words of wisdom for both of them, and the heroine's co-worker who has just gone through a divorce.
This is an even handed look at a relationship that needed some work, but was solid underneath. The epilogue was a nice touch.
What worked for me in this novel is that we get the hero's point of view and he truly was clueless about what the heroine was going through. Both were very passionate about each other, but had lost the path to communication. The OW was a problem, but this was not a cheating book. It was more about the hero cheating himself of true intimacy with his wife and his wife not knowing the right way to open up that intimacy.
Once the heroine figured out why the hero was the way he was, she was able to control her speech and help the hero see just how devastating the OW was to their relationship. There is a forced seduction at the low point of their relationship and tumble down the stars that makes the hero realize how he hasn't opened up enough to this wife. There were some nice touches in the characters of the heroine's grandmother who has some words of wisdom for both of them, and the heroine's co-worker who has just gone through a divorce.
This is an even handed look at a relationship that needed some work, but was solid underneath. The epilogue was a nice touch.
Read
March 21, 2017***TRIGGERS****
I have slept on it and I'm just not going to rate this book. I am just going to rant.
Let's be honest. He rapes her. There is no other word for it. No point sugar coating it. She decided to forgive him and move on just like many women did back when the story was written or even now, may be good for them, may be shame on them. I don't know. I don't judge. But that's what happened. Rape.
And this is where it stops being a romance novel for me.
On top of that: there was immense amount of emotional cheating, and the hero hurting the heroine with his jabs. She pointed things out in plain language, yet he was stubborn and didn't agree to them because it made life a "little" inconvenient for him.
He wanted a willing wife in bed who will keep her mouth shut but will also be madly in love with him. Hell give her physical intimacy, will tell her he loves her but not give her emotional intimacy. But she's way above the colleague physically. He's not ever physically attracted to ANYONE else, so the OW can't blame him for leading her on.
Then he wanted his mistress on the side with whom he'd share all the intellectual side, and all the emotional intimacies and never ever sleep with her. But she's way above the wife intellectually so the wife can't blame him of cheating.
This is a classic case of narcissism. It was all about him. He wanted two seperate woman. In my honest opinion he was carrying out a bigamist relationship. And that was revolting. He just refused to see it. I would have forgiven it if he couldn't see it, but he refused to see it.
And because he is a narcissist, when he's preferred way of life is threatened, the first time he rapes the heroine.
The second time, he accuses the heroine of cheating on him and questions the parentage of the child when he knows what he was saying was bullshit.
Which resulted in the heroine almost losing the baby and ending up getting a concussion.
I'm not even going to get into on how they dealt with the fact that the protagonist was a rapist and the grandmother may or may not have decided it was wicked, in a good way.
So they have worked out their issues. They saved their marriage. Good for them. Very positive thinking. However, from where I'm seeing this, the heroine survived rape, cheating allegations, near death experience and close call to miscarriage. To me this was a continuous chronicle of abuse and apologies. I'd personally run the other direction.
I have slept on it and I'm just not going to rate this book. I am just going to rant.
Let's be honest. He rapes her. There is no other word for it. No point sugar coating it. She decided to forgive him and move on just like many women did back when the story was written or even now, may be good for them, may be shame on them. I don't know. I don't judge. But that's what happened. Rape.
And this is where it stops being a romance novel for me.
On top of that: there was immense amount of emotional cheating, and the hero hurting the heroine with his jabs. She pointed things out in plain language, yet he was stubborn and didn't agree to them because it made life a "little" inconvenient for him.
He wanted a willing wife in bed who will keep her mouth shut but will also be madly in love with him. Hell give her physical intimacy, will tell her he loves her but not give her emotional intimacy. But she's way above the colleague physically. He's not ever physically attracted to ANYONE else, so the OW can't blame him for leading her on.
Then he wanted his mistress on the side with whom he'd share all the intellectual side, and all the emotional intimacies and never ever sleep with her. But she's way above the wife intellectually so the wife can't blame him of cheating.
This is a classic case of narcissism. It was all about him. He wanted two seperate woman. In my honest opinion he was carrying out a bigamist relationship. And that was revolting. He just refused to see it. I would have forgiven it if he couldn't see it, but he refused to see it.
And because he is a narcissist, when he's preferred way of life is threatened, the first time he rapes the heroine.
The second time, he accuses the heroine of cheating on him and questions the parentage of the child when he knows what he was saying was bullshit.
Which resulted in the heroine almost losing the baby and ending up getting a concussion.
I'm not even going to get into on how they dealt with the fact that the protagonist was a rapist and the grandmother may or may not have decided it was wicked, in a good way.
So they have worked out their issues. They saved their marriage. Good for them. Very positive thinking. However, from where I'm seeing this, the heroine survived rape, cheating allegations, near death experience and close call to miscarriage. To me this was a continuous chronicle of abuse and apologies. I'd personally run the other direction.
October 7, 2018
I really enjoyed this. The characters were more grounded in our Earth dimension, but it was very well done and I didn't mind.
I do sort of wish that we'd stepped into HP world to have an OTT scene of the OW being exposed and ridden out of town on a rail, however it was a good sign for the H/h relationship when the H finally caught on and saw the h's POV without a big scene. Men can be SO blind to female bitchery. I've been the object of or witness to it with my husband RIGHT BESIDE ME and he never caught on. I suppose if there are no threats of ass beatings or actual brawls it doesn't register with many males. "Huh? What are you talking about? You're imagining things. She's a nice person". ugh
As far as cheating, there was no physical cheating and no sexual/romantic feelings towards the OW on the H's part, IMHO. He did misplace his loyalty and had to be pushed to get a clue, however.
Boogenhagen spoils this well if you need more detail.
I do sort of wish that we'd stepped into HP world to have an OTT scene of the OW being exposed and ridden out of town on a rail, however it was a good sign for the H/h relationship when the H finally caught on and saw the h's POV without a big scene. Men can be SO blind to female bitchery. I've been the object of or witness to it with my husband RIGHT BESIDE ME and he never caught on. I suppose if there are no threats of ass beatings or actual brawls it doesn't register with many males. "Huh? What are you talking about? You're imagining things. She's a nice person". ugh
As far as cheating, there was no physical cheating and no sexual/romantic feelings towards the OW on the H's part, IMHO. He did misplace his loyalty and had to be pushed to get a clue, however.
Boogenhagen spoils this well if you need more detail.
June 2, 2013
I don't know why people are saying this is a book about cheating. There is no cheating in any form whatsoever. The hero was definitely oblivious and stupid but never unfaithful. I never doubted his love for his wife but he definitely lacked some brain cells. Still I loved his crazy jealousy and possessiveness.
The heroine was fantastic though. She was strong and very mature for her age. She wouldn't back down and she stood her ground but it was clear she was head over head over heels in love with Rafe. Still she knows that without commitment, respect and honesty their marriage will fail. So glad she didn't lose her baby towards the end.
This book has a really good and emotional story inside. Rafe and Tanya had such a great story with amazing chemistry, lots of drama and intense feelings. I couldn't put it down!
The heroine was fantastic though. She was strong and very mature for her age. She wouldn't back down and she stood her ground but it was clear she was head over head over heels in love with Rafe. Still she knows that without commitment, respect and honesty their marriage will fail. So glad she didn't lose her baby towards the end.
This book has a really good and emotional story inside. Rafe and Tanya had such a great story with amazing chemistry, lots of drama and intense feelings. I couldn't put it down!
December 16, 2019
"Breaking Point" fulfilled all my expectations of enjoyable,raw,sexy romance.I had only planned to read one page and then return to writing my History Essay that is nearing its dead-line,but after that one page i was instantly hooked..and simply forgot all about the world.(gahh i hate when that happens to me sometimes!)
This book is simply about a married couple that have been married for 2 years and are very insanely in love with each other,but are nearing the "breaking point" because there are so many misunderstandings,fears and insecurity in their relationship.While our h,the stead-fast and determined Tanya Carlton despises her husband`s close friendship with his secretary of 10 years,and that he sees her as his possession instead of equal partner,the rakish sexy tycoon H Rafe Carlton is fearsome over his wifes hold over him...slowly afraid that his fervent love for her will make him lose his control over everything he had ever build,and over himself.
Rafe and Tanya are like hot sausages in one stick,they burn,relish and explode...but they always..and i mean always will belong to each other.They are equally and passionately in love with each other,both extremely possessive...and simply can`t live without each other.I just...GAAHH I LOVE THEM!
This book is simply about a married couple that have been married for 2 years and are very insanely in love with each other,but are nearing the "breaking point" because there are so many misunderstandings,fears and insecurity in their relationship.While our h,the stead-fast and determined Tanya Carlton despises her husband`s close friendship with his secretary of 10 years,and that he sees her as his possession instead of equal partner,the rakish sexy tycoon H Rafe Carlton is fearsome over his wifes hold over him...slowly afraid that his fervent love for her will make him lose his control over everything he had ever build,and over himself.
Rafe and Tanya are like hot sausages in one stick,they burn,relish and explode...but they always..and i mean always will belong to each other.They are equally and passionately in love with each other,both extremely possessive...and simply can`t live without each other.I just...GAAHH I LOVE THEM!
March 27, 2025
AITA? I tried to seduce my husband so he wouldn’t go to a work dinner with his hot blonde assistant, but it backfired. First, we slept together, then I showed up to the dinner in a revealing dress. Oh, and I danced with two other men and spent the night at a hotel. Now he’s mad at me. Why?
Tanya is desperate for her husband Rafe’s attention, but Rafe treats her like she is his personal plaything rather than an actual wife. He beds her and goes to dinner with his hot blonde assistant. He kisses her and spends the night with said assistant. You get what I'm trying to say. This is a "work wife" vs "real wife" situation.
From Rafe’s perspective all women are manipulative just like his mother. He believes women only want to control men, twist them around their fingers, and shape their lives. First of all, no? Second, he doesn’t want kids because that would mean having to share Tanya with someone else💀 He does see her as a possession indeed, no doubts.
Anyway, back to the infamous party. Tanya puts on that dress, dances with a couple of men, and leaves to clear her head at a hotel. She returns the next morning, expecting Rafe to be at work but no, he’s waiting for her. Instead of a normal conversation, he goes straight to accusing her of cheating, and their toxic mix of hate and passion turns into a forced seduction scene.
Now, depending on how you look at it, this can be interpreted as noncon, forced seduction, a 70s era version of CNC, or even a very questionable form of BDSM. However you categorize it, it’s fucked up.
Tanya responds positively in the moment (???), But I feel obligated to say that she adresses what happened again saying, "The night before you raped me." So💀
After that, the book spirals into Tanya running away, Rafe chasing her, Tanya getting rightfully jealous of his blonde assistant (who is literally getting all the emotional intimacy Tanya wants from Rafe), Tanya begging Rafe to fire her, and Rafe flat out refusing. OH MY GOD, Y’ALL ARE ADULTS.
Then, just when you think this marriage can’t get any worse, Tanya gets pregnant.
She falls down the stairs which causes an instant personality transplant in Rafe. Suddenly, he realizes that his hot assistant is obviously an evil manipulator and now he wants kids💀 Cliched harlequin ending, rushed with a pregnant heroine.
I’ve learned not to care about endings or the last ten pages of Harlequins. It’s just the authors scrambling to wrap things up without going over the word count. So, I’m throwing that part out entirely.
I rated this purely on how much drama it had. And drama it did have. My GOD. This book was overflowing with it, like Turkish coffee boiling over in a pot. Add in questionable consent and an uncomfortable plot, you have what is called flaming hot trash. Which I love.
Tanya is desperate for her husband Rafe’s attention, but Rafe treats her like she is his personal plaything rather than an actual wife. He beds her and goes to dinner with his hot blonde assistant. He kisses her and spends the night with said assistant. You get what I'm trying to say. This is a "work wife" vs "real wife" situation.
Whatever she had asked of him then, he had given her. Until his ring was on her finger and he had her completely in his possession. Legal, moral, physical, emotional, mental possession. Absolute. Bought and paid for.
From Rafe’s perspective all women are manipulative just like his mother. He believes women only want to control men, twist them around their fingers, and shape their lives. First of all, no? Second, he doesn’t want kids because that would mean having to share Tanya with someone else💀 He does see her as a possession indeed, no doubts.
Anyway, back to the infamous party. Tanya puts on that dress, dances with a couple of men, and leaves to clear her head at a hotel. She returns the next morning, expecting Rafe to be at work but no, he’s waiting for her. Instead of a normal conversation, he goes straight to accusing her of cheating, and their toxic mix of hate and passion turns into a forced seduction scene.
He unfastened his trousers and shoved them down his hips. "Don't you move! " he threatened as he stood up to throw them off. "I'm going to touch you. I'm going to touch you like you've never been touched before. And when I'm finished, you'll damned well know whose woman you are. You're mine!"
Now, depending on how you look at it, this can be interpreted as noncon, forced seduction, a 70s era version of CNC, or even a very questionable form of BDSM. However you categorize it, it’s fucked up.
She almost spoke. The words hovered on her tongue. It doesn't matter. You needed to do it. I liked having you feel that. I didn't have another man. I love you.
Tanya responds positively in the moment (???), But I feel obligated to say that she adresses what happened again saying, "The night before you raped me." So💀
After that, the book spirals into Tanya running away, Rafe chasing her, Tanya getting rightfully jealous of his blonde assistant (who is literally getting all the emotional intimacy Tanya wants from Rafe), Tanya begging Rafe to fire her, and Rafe flat out refusing. OH MY GOD, Y’ALL ARE ADULTS.
Then, just when you think this marriage can’t get any worse, Tanya gets pregnant.
She falls down the stairs which causes an instant personality transplant in Rafe. Suddenly, he realizes that his hot assistant is obviously an evil manipulator and now he wants kids💀 Cliched harlequin ending, rushed with a pregnant heroine.
I’ve learned not to care about endings or the last ten pages of Harlequins. It’s just the authors scrambling to wrap things up without going over the word count. So, I’m throwing that part out entirely.
I rated this purely on how much drama it had. And drama it did have. My GOD. This book was overflowing with it, like Turkish coffee boiling over in a pot. Add in questionable consent and an uncomfortable plot, you have what is called flaming hot trash. Which I love.
November 29, 2021
Another of those ED's husbands from hell.
This one treated her like a sexual object to relieve his urges.
Basically they have sex and she acts like his date when he needs one.
All the rest of his day he spends with his PA. He never talks with his wife of anything interesting, for instance his business.
I don't think this was the main issue.
The main issue is that he completely isolated her from anyone and he didn't want her to work.
Oh, no children also, (because he had to help his parents with his younger brothers and he doesn't want the burden, but poor heroine doesn't know it and she thinks he doesn't want any children from her)
So imagine this woman, young, smart (not too much since she married the hero, though), lively, who is forced to live all day in idleness, only waiting for her husband to come home, have sex with her then sleep, or to order her otherwise.
Whenever they go out is business, and she has to stand silently while he talks to his PA and they both treat her condescendently.
She's tired of this farce of a marriage and decides to challange his husband.
She makes a mess though, and when he sends her home during a party with angry words, she sleeps in a hotel, then, when she comes home the day after, he accuses her to be unfaithful.
Ok, the man has issues.
Very serious issues.
I suggest therapy or at least, counseling.
He is obsessively jealous, he has so many insecurities that i can't even count them.
The heroine leaves him, and asks him to get rid of the PA.
He is not willing to do that, so she goes back to work, and he tries to win her back.
Ok, in the end he will get rid of his PA but I think the ow is the least of their issues.
The man is not able to put order in his priorities.
His wife should come first.
He's deaf and dumb to his wife's needs, even when she tries to explain and this is the serious issue.
Because the heroine tries to make him understand what she wants and what she doesn't, but he refuses to listen. Everything should proceed the way he wants, no matter what she says.
He puts himself first.
He's unable to see he's been treating his wife very poorly and she's unhappy.
He gave his loyalty to his PA and was not able to put her in her place.
He had to fire her, but it's his fault if his PA took control of his life. He allowed it.
And even in the end he let her words affect the way he thought about his wife.
No, no good, not at all.
The heroine wasn't a doormat and she did what she could.
It was not her fault if he was poor husband material.
I don't know if those two could have a HEA.
But the book was good enough.
This one treated her like a sexual object to relieve his urges.
Basically they have sex and she acts like his date when he needs one.
All the rest of his day he spends with his PA. He never talks with his wife of anything interesting, for instance his business.
I don't think this was the main issue.
The main issue is that he completely isolated her from anyone and he didn't want her to work.
Oh, no children also, (because he had to help his parents with his younger brothers and he doesn't want the burden, but poor heroine doesn't know it and she thinks he doesn't want any children from her)
So imagine this woman, young, smart (not too much since she married the hero, though), lively, who is forced to live all day in idleness, only waiting for her husband to come home, have sex with her then sleep, or to order her otherwise.
Whenever they go out is business, and she has to stand silently while he talks to his PA and they both treat her condescendently.
She's tired of this farce of a marriage and decides to challange his husband.
She makes a mess though, and when he sends her home during a party with angry words, she sleeps in a hotel, then, when she comes home the day after, he accuses her to be unfaithful.
Ok, the man has issues.
Very serious issues.
I suggest therapy or at least, counseling.
He is obsessively jealous, he has so many insecurities that i can't even count them.
The heroine leaves him, and asks him to get rid of the PA.
He is not willing to do that, so she goes back to work, and he tries to win her back.
Ok, in the end he will get rid of his PA but I think the ow is the least of their issues.
The man is not able to put order in his priorities.
His wife should come first.
He's deaf and dumb to his wife's needs, even when she tries to explain and this is the serious issue.
Because the heroine tries to make him understand what she wants and what she doesn't, but he refuses to listen. Everything should proceed the way he wants, no matter what she says.
He puts himself first.
He's unable to see he's been treating his wife very poorly and she's unhappy.
He gave his loyalty to his PA and was not able to put her in her place.
He had to fire her, but it's his fault if his PA took control of his life. He allowed it.
And even in the end he let her words affect the way he thought about his wife.
No, no good, not at all.
The heroine wasn't a doormat and she did what she could.
It was not her fault if he was poor husband material.
I don't know if those two could have a HEA.
But the book was good enough.
July 16, 2012
Very intense read about infidelity and the devastation and destruction it creates. I particularly liked that we got both POV's, which is important given the dynamics of the plot. I thought the heroine was well written. A woman that is incredibly strong, but can still succumb and be shaken by the passion she feels for her husband. It's the passion, love and chemistry that keep her fighting for her marriage. But she is unwilling to compromise and accept less from her marriage. She knows that chemistry alone won't buy her long term happiness. The secondary characters were incredible...especially Harry and her grandmother. They really added to the dynamics of the story.
The best line in the book is when Grandma tells Rafes.... "It has always been my opinion," Bea said musingly, "that there can beworse kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual.
The best line in the book is when Grandma tells Rafes.... "It has always been my opinion," Bea said musingly, "that there can beworse kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual.
July 23, 2015
4 1/2 Stars ~ When Rafe asked Tanya to marry him, she'd been blissfully happy. Now, two years in, Tanya had come to some harsh realizations. Yes, their passion for each other was still combustible, all it took was a look and their desire sparked, but Tanya couldn't help feeling that was her only role in Rafe's life. He was a very successful property developer, well respected, his acumen in high demand. Rafe had compartmentalized his life; there was his work and then there was his marriage. Never did the two mix unless Rafe needed his very beautiful wife on his arm at a business function. Every effort Tanya made to learn about Rafe's business was cleverly brushed aside and she couldn't help but feel inadequate. It seemed Rafe spent more time and shared more of himself with his very sexy blond assistant than he did with Tanya. Niki had become the catalyst for the rift in their marriage, that grew wider each passing day. It was inevitable that their fragile bond would finally reach a breaking point.
One thing I've come to love about the books penned by Emma Darcy is the emotional intensity. This story opens with Tanya desperate to be more than a trophy wife to the man who is her world. Rafe has some deep rooted hangups from picking up the pieces while his parents allowed their passions to rule their life. He'd been the responsible one, the one who solved all the problems. And he'd vowed that he'd never allow his own passion for his wife control him. He saw Tanya's need to be a part of every aspect of his life as a way to wrap him around her finger, not once seeing the very real threat his assistant was to his marriage.
The voice of reason comes from Tanya's grandmother, who points out to Rafe some quiet truths of what makes a good marriage.
And she works her wisdom on Tanya as well, making her open her eyes to other points of view.
Rafe's whole world is tumbling down and he doesn't know how to fix it. The one constant is his work and he's can't comprehend Tanya's view of his business relationship with his assistant. Tanya's world shatters when she realizes Rafe will never take her side over his work and Niki. While she's never been jealous of his work or Niki for that matter, she has felt left out, a person not invited to share her husband's life. Desperate to save the marriage, both have to open their eyes and face their own mistakes.
What I found totally amazing is that while Niki is the evil other woman, there are no huge confrontations between her and Tanya. The perception of her interference is all from Tanya's point of view, mostly in reflection. Rafe honestly doesn't see any of Tanya's claims and at first it almost seems that Tanya is neurotic. I hated that he kept letting her down, failed to see how desperate she was. His own revelation that he did betray Tanya when he took his marital problems to Niki for advice seemed to be the turning point. Their's is a turbulent road to reconciliation, one that makes their HEA all the sweeter.
One thing I've come to love about the books penned by Emma Darcy is the emotional intensity. This story opens with Tanya desperate to be more than a trophy wife to the man who is her world. Rafe has some deep rooted hangups from picking up the pieces while his parents allowed their passions to rule their life. He'd been the responsible one, the one who solved all the problems. And he'd vowed that he'd never allow his own passion for his wife control him. He saw Tanya's need to be a part of every aspect of his life as a way to wrap him around her finger, not once seeing the very real threat his assistant was to his marriage.
The voice of reason comes from Tanya's grandmother, who points out to Rafe some quiet truths of what makes a good marriage.
"Your granddaughter is totally unreasonable!" he shot at her.
"Possibly," Bea said noncommittally. "I do wish you'd sit down, Rafe. Perhaps you'd like to talk to me about Niki Sandstrom."
"No!" he seethed. "There is nothing to talk about!"
"It has always been my opinion," Bea said musingly, "that there can be worse kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual."
"Bea... this is crazy! This is neurotic imagining at its worst!"
Bea sighed. "Rafe, I'm a simple woman with a very simple outlook on life. I've always found that things work out best if you keep to certain simple rules. Right down the line. And one of the first rules for a successful marriage is loyalty to your partner. Total loyalty."
And she works her wisdom on Tanya as well, making her open her eyes to other points of view.
"Perhaps they were a gesture," came the mild comment. "I don't really think Rafe thought you needed flowers, dear."
"You're absolutely right, Grandma. I'm sure he didn't think that at all," Tanya retorted tartly. "Rafe doesn't give a damn about what I need."
Her grandmother checked the casserole in the oven, then, without even looking at Tanya, asked in a curious tone of voice, "Do you care about Rafe's needs, Tanya?"
"Grandma, I've always done what Rafe wanted!" she replied heatedly. Then in a darker tone, "Until now!"
"Wants and needs are sometimes different," her grandmother said thoughtfully
Rafe's whole world is tumbling down and he doesn't know how to fix it. The one constant is his work and he's can't comprehend Tanya's view of his business relationship with his assistant. Tanya's world shatters when she realizes Rafe will never take her side over his work and Niki. While she's never been jealous of his work or Niki for that matter, she has felt left out, a person not invited to share her husband's life. Desperate to save the marriage, both have to open their eyes and face their own mistakes.
What I found totally amazing is that while Niki is the evil other woman, there are no huge confrontations between her and Tanya. The perception of her interference is all from Tanya's point of view, mostly in reflection. Rafe honestly doesn't see any of Tanya's claims and at first it almost seems that Tanya is neurotic. I hated that he kept letting her down, failed to see how desperate she was. His own revelation that he did betray Tanya when he took his marital problems to Niki for advice seemed to be the turning point. Their's is a turbulent road to reconciliation, one that makes their HEA all the sweeter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2021
emotional cheating - hero rapist
May 14, 2021
Her gran's very wise words:
"It has always been my opinion," Bea said musingly, "that there can be worse kinds of infidelity than merely sexual."
December 12, 2021
5 Stars
I saw an update by an author I follow rating this book 5 Stars. Like me, she also enjoys angsty romance reads, and ones with cheating themes. Don't judge! Anyway, I just had to get my greedy hands on this one. It was only available in paperback, no ebook copies. I ordered it from Thriftbooks.com.
The verdict?
It's another 'Marriage in Trouble' romance winner! It immediately hooked me and kept me up all night. Did I have to get up early for work? Yes, but this book didn't care about my life, it needed to be read! Consequences be damned.
*****Spoilers*****
Rafe & Tanya
There was no cheating in this book, physically or emotionally. Yet, it kept me wondering if there was—oh, the angst! But rest assured, our hero never cheats and never intended to, either. Rafe only had eyes for his wife. I really enjoyed the heroine's dramatics. Again, don't judge! This drama-llama worked for me. Tanya's antics kept things entertaining. Gah! I couldn't really blame her for hating her husband's personal assistant; I hated her too. Moreover, Tanya was not a doormat (phew). From the very start of the book, she makes her strong opinions and demands known to our alpha hero. And there ensued a battle of two strong wills :)
I saw an update by an author I follow rating this book 5 Stars. Like me, she also enjoys angsty romance reads, and ones with cheating themes. Don't judge! Anyway, I just had to get my greedy hands on this one. It was only available in paperback, no ebook copies. I ordered it from Thriftbooks.com.
The verdict?
It's another 'Marriage in Trouble' romance winner! It immediately hooked me and kept me up all night. Did I have to get up early for work? Yes, but this book didn't care about my life, it needed to be read! Consequences be damned.
*****Spoilers*****
Rafe & Tanya
There was no cheating in this book, physically or emotionally. Yet, it kept me wondering if there was—oh, the angst! But rest assured, our hero never cheats and never intended to, either. Rafe only had eyes for his wife. I really enjoyed the heroine's dramatics. Again, don't judge! This drama-llama worked for me. Tanya's antics kept things entertaining. Gah! I couldn't really blame her for hating her husband's personal assistant; I hated her too. Moreover, Tanya was not a doormat (phew). From the very start of the book, she makes her strong opinions and demands known to our alpha hero. And there ensued a battle of two strong wills :)
May 2, 2016
This was a nice solid old-school Harley. Not great, not bad although looking at the ratings it certainly sets some on fire.
The h is fed up with being marginalized by her husband except when it comes to sex. Their encounters are pretty steamy given this is written before the more explicit now. She wants to seduce him to stay home, but he has his eye on the prize for business so of they go to a party where the ubiquitous evil OW/PA is lurking. The h wears an uber sexy dress so her husband will think of her rather than biz. It backfires and to make a long story short, there is a forced seduction scene and the h runs home to grandma and goes back to work.
The rest of the story is the push and pull between the two MC's. She insist that the stone cold PA is out for the bottom line while he insists that the h is paranoid. She points out a few truths about women in a scene that is quite enjoyable as she has the OW's game plan nailed, while he a mere man mortal is oblivious to the undercurrents.
The ending is rather anti-climactic for me. Since the h is such a spicy little spitfire, I was hoping for at least a verbal throw down with the OW. Sadly, she is sidelined off screen.
The h is fed up with being marginalized by her husband except when it comes to sex. Their encounters are pretty steamy given this is written before the more explicit now. She wants to seduce him to stay home, but he has his eye on the prize for business so of they go to a party where the ubiquitous evil OW/PA is lurking. The h wears an uber sexy dress so her husband will think of her rather than biz. It backfires and to make a long story short, there is a forced seduction scene and the h runs home to grandma and goes back to work.
The rest of the story is the push and pull between the two MC's. She insist that the stone cold PA is out for the bottom line while he insists that the h is paranoid. She points out a few truths about women in a scene that is quite enjoyable as she has the OW's game plan nailed, while he a mere man mortal is oblivious to the undercurrents.
The ending is rather anti-climactic for me. Since the h is such a spicy little spitfire, I was hoping for at least a verbal throw down with the OW. Sadly, she is sidelined off screen.
January 15, 2013
Breaking point broke my heart.
Rafe is really married to two women. One he shares his bed with, the other he shares everything else in his life with, including intimate details about his marriage to Tanya. After two years Tanya finally calls him up on his behavior and issues an ultimatum to Rafe between her and Niki, Rafe's PA.
I really liked Tanya a lot. She was a smart woman who had to figure out for herself where she was willing to stand and what she was willing to accept in a relationship.
The reason I give this book a 4 stars is because the reasoning behind the resolution made absolutely no sense. She just decides to go back out of nowhere.
I also had some problem with the so called rape scene. I'm actually not sure if you could call it one considering the circumstances. During the act, Tanya liked Rafe's being out of control, she enjoyed having that power, she didn't say "no" to him and was receptive, but later she accuses him of rape.
I highly enjoyed the secondary characters, the grandmother, harry and even Niki.
Rafe is really married to two women. One he shares his bed with, the other he shares everything else in his life with, including intimate details about his marriage to Tanya. After two years Tanya finally calls him up on his behavior and issues an ultimatum to Rafe between her and Niki, Rafe's PA.
I really liked Tanya a lot. She was a smart woman who had to figure out for herself where she was willing to stand and what she was willing to accept in a relationship.
The reason I give this book a 4 stars is because the reasoning behind the resolution made absolutely no sense. She just decides to go back out of nowhere.
I also had some problem with the so called rape scene. I'm actually not sure if you could call it one considering the circumstances. During the act, Tanya liked Rafe's being out of control, she enjoyed having that power, she didn't say "no" to him and was receptive, but later she accuses him of rape.
I highly enjoyed the secondary characters, the grandmother, harry and even Niki.
February 4, 2022
Pretty good marriage in peril story. I liked the way the heroine was real clear what was going on with her husband and had a plan to fix it. The plan went awry put at least she wasn't a helpless ninny and eventually over the course of the book she got the hero to pay attention and realize what he'd been doing to her. She also grew and learned more about her husband and together they worked it out. Solid read.
December 14, 2023
Crazy story. Talk about an obsession! I think hero was totally sexually crazed about his wife. And I really believe he loved her and never physically wanted the OW. But when he shared the details of his marriage with her, he went over the line. I put emotional cheating but it was more intellectual I think. She was his sounding board but the minute he took her word/side over his wife he really put his foot in it. Especially after he had already decided she was up to no good but still questioned her pregnancy, I was like hell no! But he really did love her. And yes I agree it was marital rape/forced possession and he knew it too. That's why he freaked out about it. No doubt in my mind that he was truly sorry for what he had done. But most abusers are. In this case though he did really condemn his own behavior but I do worry it may happen again so why did I give been it five stars, because it made me feel their emotions. Both of them. Even though we didn't get his thoughts that much I felt his pain, his obsession and hers too. It had a great ending but in real life I doubt it would have ended so well. But that's why I read harlequins! Who wants real life. Give me the fantasy .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2017
It was satisfying in the ways that mattered most: he only had eyes for his wife, never had a single thought about cheating on her, and they were both passionately in love with each other. The marriage never grew stale, passion-wise.
It was less satisfying in other ways: we never see any real encounters/confrontations with the insidious Other Woman who is the source of so much discord. She is only referred to and spoken of, and seen a couple of times peripherally. There are no slap-down, knock-a-bitch-out interactions. Also, much of the decision-making went on solely in the heroine's head: she left him when she decided she'd had enough, and she came back to him when she decided she would fight for him. He didn't do anything momentous to affect either decision, although he gets points for consistently trying to keep her with him from start to finish.
Frankly, I liked it very much, but it was a rather straight-cut story of a wife wanting her husband to include her in more of his life. The drama-lover in me would have liked some WorldStarhiphop scenes with the OW, or some sketchily suspicious behavior from the husband which would have necessitated more heartfelt groveling. It did have a couple of tried-and-true tropes at the end just to ratchet up the angst meter a bit, but for the most part this was just a pair of in-love, happily-married people who needed to communicate more.
It was less satisfying in other ways: we never see any real encounters/confrontations with the insidious Other Woman who is the source of so much discord. She is only referred to and spoken of, and seen a couple of times peripherally. There are no slap-down, knock-a-bitch-out interactions. Also, much of the decision-making went on solely in the heroine's head: she left him when she decided she'd had enough, and she came back to him when she decided she would fight for him. He didn't do anything momentous to affect either decision, although he gets points for consistently trying to keep her with him from start to finish.
Frankly, I liked it very much, but it was a rather straight-cut story of a wife wanting her husband to include her in more of his life. The drama-lover in me would have liked some WorldStarhiphop scenes with the OW, or some sketchily suspicious behavior from the husband which would have necessitated more heartfelt groveling. It did have a couple of tried-and-true tropes at the end just to ratchet up the angst meter a bit, but for the most part this was just a pair of in-love, happily-married people who needed to communicate more.
September 10, 2017
I did like it, but I couldn't get past a couple of things. One: the hero raped the heroine. Two: The hero was also blind as batshit when it came to his assistant.
But I actually really liked the heroine (although I wish she'd made him suffer more!) and I loved Grandma! She made the book for me. Finally we have a family member/friend who isn't pressuring the heroine to take the hero back, blah blah blah. So maybe a 3.5 stars?
But I actually really liked the heroine (although I wish she'd made him suffer more!) and I loved Grandma! She made the book for me. Finally we have a family member/friend who isn't pressuring the heroine to take the hero back, blah blah blah. So maybe a 3.5 stars?
June 29, 2011
For me, cheating books vacillate between a wallbanger and a DIK. I was prepared to chuck this book so, like a savvy realtor, I “staged” it to get maximum visceral anguish. Staging meant that I began reading it at 3am when the night is darkest so I could wallow in the misery and I finished it just before first morning light so I’d have regained my equilibrium. End result: a 4 star rating.
But the real reason I was able to swallow the bitter pill of emotional cheating was that I deliberately suspended my disbelief and totally bought into the author’s premise that Work Relationships CAN be gender neutral. Once this assertion was accepted unreservedly, the hero’s denial of any entanglement with his female colleague became plausible.
[In the real and practical world, I’d say hogwash to this premise. But if the largest employer in the US, the DoD can delude itself that men and women can work in close quarters, in high-stress situation and in combat-ready mode, without becoming emotionally attached or involved in any way, shape or form, then I’m prepared to do the same with the characters in my fiction.]
What I like: when on their way to the family party, their angry recriminations slowly became heartfelt conversations. H/h needed to lance their resentments like an abscess but they should dial the anger down a notch. Sweet example: She said self-deprecatingly that she was more easily replaceable than the personal assistant and the guy caressed her check and denied that, saying “No, you’re not replaceable.” She came back with, “Neither are you.”
What I disliked about the hero: I understand that his personality is akin to Peter the Pumpkin Eater who had to put his wife in a pumpkin shell to keep her there very well. But I don’t get his brilliant rational of compartmentalizing his neediness for his wife from everything else. Just because he perceived his obsessive emotion as a weakness resembling that of his own parents’ (fiscally) irresponsible albeit happy marriage, must he also assume that he’s doomed? Wouldn’t it have been more normal – and mature -- to simply discuss his convoluted insecurities with his wife as she’s no trained psychic?
What I disliked about the hero, part 2: His blind insistence that the OW is devoid of evil motives. I can understand how he has grown to depend on her as a professional crutch after a decade of working together. But to be so blind as to use her as a marital counselor when she’s already the bone of contention? I’d pummel him if I were the heroine. For him to expose his marriage to further injury, after repeated warnings from the wife, is beyond naïve. It’s willfully negligent.
What I like about the hero: his earnest contrition after she left him. He gets an A minus for his efforts to win her back. Plus his high-handed manner of speaking to the heroine before (i.e., ordering her to change clothes, telling her to hurry, assuming she’d go with his plans, etc.) became more hesitant to reflect consideration towards her and uncertainty about his own welcome.
What I dislike about the heroine: The rape accusation was a low-blow. She had thought that there was “something excitingly primitive” about his aggression and lack of control and that she actually “gloried in every wild moment of it.”
What I like about the heroine: her talking points. She stuck to her talking points about the conniving OW like she was a well-rehearsed politician on a campaign debate. Doggedly, point-by-point, and calmly she wore away her husband’s arguments.
Secondary characters I like: the Grandma for telling the guy some home truths, like “there can be worse kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual” And Harry --
What he said about mountains, 100% true.
But the real reason I was able to swallow the bitter pill of emotional cheating was that I deliberately suspended my disbelief and totally bought into the author’s premise that Work Relationships CAN be gender neutral. Once this assertion was accepted unreservedly, the hero’s denial of any entanglement with his female colleague became plausible.
[In the real and practical world, I’d say hogwash to this premise. But if the largest employer in the US, the DoD can delude itself that men and women can work in close quarters, in high-stress situation and in combat-ready mode, without becoming emotionally attached or involved in any way, shape or form, then I’m prepared to do the same with the characters in my fiction.]
What I like: when on their way to the family party, their angry recriminations slowly became heartfelt conversations. H/h needed to lance their resentments like an abscess but they should dial the anger down a notch. Sweet example: She said self-deprecatingly that she was more easily replaceable than the personal assistant and the guy caressed her check and denied that, saying “No, you’re not replaceable.” She came back with, “Neither are you.”
What I disliked about the hero: I understand that his personality is akin to Peter the Pumpkin Eater who had to put his wife in a pumpkin shell to keep her there very well. But I don’t get his brilliant rational of compartmentalizing his neediness for his wife from everything else. Just because he perceived his obsessive emotion as a weakness resembling that of his own parents’ (fiscally) irresponsible albeit happy marriage, must he also assume that he’s doomed? Wouldn’t it have been more normal – and mature -- to simply discuss his convoluted insecurities with his wife as she’s no trained psychic?
What I disliked about the hero, part 2: His blind insistence that the OW is devoid of evil motives. I can understand how he has grown to depend on her as a professional crutch after a decade of working together. But to be so blind as to use her as a marital counselor when she’s already the bone of contention? I’d pummel him if I were the heroine. For him to expose his marriage to further injury, after repeated warnings from the wife, is beyond naïve. It’s willfully negligent.
What I like about the hero: his earnest contrition after she left him. He gets an A minus for his efforts to win her back. Plus his high-handed manner of speaking to the heroine before (i.e., ordering her to change clothes, telling her to hurry, assuming she’d go with his plans, etc.) became more hesitant to reflect consideration towards her and uncertainty about his own welcome.
What I dislike about the heroine: The rape accusation was a low-blow. She had thought that there was “something excitingly primitive” about his aggression and lack of control and that she actually “gloried in every wild moment of it.”
What I like about the heroine: her talking points. She stuck to her talking points about the conniving OW like she was a well-rehearsed politician on a campaign debate. Doggedly, point-by-point, and calmly she wore away her husband’s arguments.
Secondary characters I like: the Grandma for telling the guy some home truths, like “there can be worse kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual” And Harry --
What he said about mountains, 100% true.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2020
Ok, Harlequin soapy-smut. I was in the mood for mindless, so I re-read a couple of quick ones. Rafe and Tanya have been married a couple of years. She feels like he treats her as a possession and only cares about sex. She’s very jealous of his business partner. (OW interested in Rafe) Rafe is a clueless to OW manipulations, and has hang ups about getting too close to his wife.
There were a couple of issues (sex & cheating) that came up a lot in the reviews, so I thought it might be helpful to just lay it out there for readers that may be on the fence. I usually don’t label the “gray areas” so this is the black & white, no influence from me, descriptions.
There is one sexual scene that may be offensive to more sensitive readers; I’ll describe as a spoiler, you decide. After, she does cry, but not because of the sex. She’s upset because in her mind the relationship is over; he will not change. He didn’t hold her after, and went to “wash her off” in the shower. He feels remorse for "losing control" and she calls it rape later in the book.
The OW, Nikki. I wish we got more from her; she’s like a cardboard cutout that we’re told is the villain. She’s only in a few scenes, and barely speaks. All of the “manipulations” Tanya is so upset about, happen behind the scenes, and there are no scenes with Nikki from Rafe’s POV. I think it could have really dialed up, the soapy-smut drama had she been participating in the plot. As far as cheating, there is no physical cheating at all. Some reviewers have tagged as emotional cheating, based on everything we are told Rafe and Nikki have a business only relationship. He repeatedly calls her his employee, and states she’s not even a friend. During the “break” he does initiate one convo with her to get advice on how to fix things with Tanya. He’s definitely blind to the “manipulations” and certainly thinks T is being too sensitive, and does not think Nikki has any feelings for him.
Bottom Line- Not bad for soapy-smut, but I found it a bit dull in the OTT drama department. Most of the couple’s issues resulted from not communicating, and they argued a lot. I think adding the evil OW to actively participate in the storyline could have increased the drama llama A LOT.
There were a couple of issues (sex & cheating) that came up a lot in the reviews, so I thought it might be helpful to just lay it out there for readers that may be on the fence. I usually don’t label the “gray areas” so this is the black & white, no influence from me, descriptions.
There is one sexual scene that may be offensive to more sensitive readers; I’ll describe as a spoiler, you decide. After, she does cry, but not because of the sex. She’s upset because in her mind the relationship is over; he will not change. He didn’t hold her after, and went to “wash her off” in the shower. He feels remorse for "losing control" and she calls it rape later in the book.
The OW, Nikki. I wish we got more from her; she’s like a cardboard cutout that we’re told is the villain. She’s only in a few scenes, and barely speaks. All of the “manipulations” Tanya is so upset about, happen behind the scenes, and there are no scenes with Nikki from Rafe’s POV. I think it could have really dialed up, the soapy-smut drama had she been participating in the plot. As far as cheating, there is no physical cheating at all. Some reviewers have tagged as emotional cheating, based on everything we are told Rafe and Nikki have a business only relationship. He repeatedly calls her his employee, and states she’s not even a friend. During the “break” he does initiate one convo with her to get advice on how to fix things with Tanya. He’s definitely blind to the “manipulations” and certainly thinks T is being too sensitive, and does not think Nikki has any feelings for him.
Bottom Line- Not bad for soapy-smut, but I found it a bit dull in the OTT drama department. Most of the couple’s issues resulted from not communicating, and they argued a lot. I think adding the evil OW to actively participate in the storyline could have increased the drama llama A LOT.
April 10, 2012
Rafe and Tanya have been married for two years and now she has finally opened her eyes up to the fact that her husband treats her like a doll – a possession. He only seems to share the physical side of their r/s w/ her and everything else is shared w/ his efficient PA. Rafe gives Tanya everything that money can buy, but he doesn’t really give of himself and he won’t give her a baby yet either. He seems to like to solve problems for everyone else but he doesn’t really lean on his wife to help him w/ his problems. Nope that is what his PA is for and he does lean on her. He shares intimate details about his marriage w/ his PA that he shouldn’t have opened the door on to begin w/. It felt like he was cheating on Tanya w/ his PA even though they never shared anything physical, but that didn’t mean the happy PA wouldn’t have turned that offer down if it had been made. Tanya decides to take matters into her own hands and she pushes until she gets a reaction. Once she gets her reaction, she is sorry that she even bothered because she got more than she bargained for. Feeling guilty she flees to her grandmothers. Now Rafe has to scramble to convince Tanya that she means more to him than the PA, but will he be willing to choose b/w his wife and the PA?
Truly believed that he loved Tanya he was just dense where PA was concerned. Don’t think he even really thought of her as a woman that he could be w/, possibly not even a woman at all. Maybe more of a non-sexual entity who was a friend as well an employee. He was rather dense and you couldn’t come at him full throttle w/ anything. It needed to be presented calmly and rationally and then backed off in order for him to think things through. Eventually he got there though. Angst was definitely present in this book wondering what Tanya would do to push her hubby to the realization of what he was doing or not doing and what the catty PA would get up too as well. She does push him beyond his carefully constructed control and she seems to enjoy it, but he termed it rape and felt awful and she later termed it the same. So does that mean she enjoyed being raped? I saw it more as a passionate encounter nothing forced or abusive in any way and she didn’t see it as rape after it occurred either so this bothered me a little.
Rafe felt that Tanya just wanted to control him, to bind and twist him around her, but Tanya feels that is what Rafe wants to do to her and in fact that is clearly established through the story. However, that wasn’t his intent at all. Tanya needed to see that some things were her fault as well. Sometimes she enabled him to do the things that he did and didn’t say much until things started adding up and she soon had her eyes peeled open for her.
Granny is a barrel of good advice: “It has always been my opinion that there can worst kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual.” “Do you care about Rafe’s needs, Tanya? Wants and needs are sometimes different.”
Truly believed that he loved Tanya he was just dense where PA was concerned. Don’t think he even really thought of her as a woman that he could be w/, possibly not even a woman at all. Maybe more of a non-sexual entity who was a friend as well an employee. He was rather dense and you couldn’t come at him full throttle w/ anything. It needed to be presented calmly and rationally and then backed off in order for him to think things through. Eventually he got there though. Angst was definitely present in this book wondering what Tanya would do to push her hubby to the realization of what he was doing or not doing and what the catty PA would get up too as well. She does push him beyond his carefully constructed control and she seems to enjoy it, but he termed it rape and felt awful and she later termed it the same. So does that mean she enjoyed being raped? I saw it more as a passionate encounter nothing forced or abusive in any way and she didn’t see it as rape after it occurred either so this bothered me a little.
Rafe felt that Tanya just wanted to control him, to bind and twist him around her, but Tanya feels that is what Rafe wants to do to her and in fact that is clearly established through the story. However, that wasn’t his intent at all. Tanya needed to see that some things were her fault as well. Sometimes she enabled him to do the things that he did and didn’t say much until things started adding up and she soon had her eyes peeled open for her.
Granny is a barrel of good advice: “It has always been my opinion that there can worst kinds of infidelity than the merely sexual.” “Do you care about Rafe’s needs, Tanya? Wants and needs are sometimes different.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2015
I usually like Emma Darcy's books, as they manage in a constrained format to build 2 strong characters and to give some insights into a crucial moment of their life. Therefore I was really looking forward reading this one.
But unfortunately I was thoroughly disappointed. For once, I felt the story lacked a bit of introduction. It started when Tanya felt uncomfortable about her marriage and I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with it too and thinking she should get away from it asap. And then the whole story lags and lasts only as long as the two characters do not speak with each other frankly, openly, as adults should do, especially those having already committed through marriage vows. Last thing, I was irritated that the newly married woman accepted that easily to quit her job.
But unfortunately I was thoroughly disappointed. For once, I felt the story lacked a bit of introduction. It started when Tanya felt uncomfortable about her marriage and I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with it too and thinking she should get away from it asap. And then the whole story lags and lasts only as long as the two characters do not speak with each other frankly, openly, as adults should do, especially those having already committed through marriage vows. Last thing, I was irritated that the newly married woman accepted that easily to quit her job.
March 20, 2017
a nice read,even though I felt that it was repetitive in some places.I really liked that the hero made efforts with the heroine after she left him by sending her flowers and asking her for dinner.what bothered me was that the hero was plain stupid and blind to trust his assistant and not trusting his wife when she shared her insecurities.he failed to protect his wife and chose to trust his assistant even to the extend of sharing his marital problems with her! .apart from these aspects I found the book really captivating .
June 25, 2021
My favorite emotional cheating, marriage in trouble book. Loads of angst from ow drama, and what’s interesting about this book is that the H is clueless that he is betraying the h.
I read this once a year.
I read this once a year.
December 12, 2022
Uhgggg I think abt them sm🤗
updating to a 4.star becuzzz the semi smut & tension with a nice layer of toxic relationship was givingggg 👌
updating to a 4.star becuzzz the semi smut & tension with a nice layer of toxic relationship was givingggg 👌
January 11, 2024
2023 Winter Bingo (#SnowInLoveBingo❄️): Set in the Southern Hemisphere
3.5 stars. Back on my Harlequin Presents bullshit, I fear. New year, but not new me. 😅
3.5 stars. Back on my Harlequin Presents bullshit, I fear. New year, but not new me. 😅
November 24, 2024
Tags: cruel-cruel-hero, doormat_heroine, emotional-cheating, hero-hurts-heroine, hero-married-to-heroine, hero-rapist, heroine-leaves, om_drama, ow-drama, possessive-mine-mine-mine, read, secret-accidental-baby, unlikable-hero, virgin-heroine, troubled-marriage
June 12, 2022
I don't even know why I read this misogynistic piece of shit book.
TW: R*pe
So, Rafe doesn't have even one admirable quality apart from being "devastatingly handsome" and yet Tanya is deeply in love with him. He mishandles her, ignores her and even forces himself on her at one point but all this is brushed off. WHY ? Oh because he had a sad childhood, he had to look after his oh so many siblings curtesy of being the eldest. I don't understand how does that give him the right to act so shitty all the time. He keeps doubting Tanya, accuses him of sleeping with someone else, doubts that he's the father when she falls pregnant and acts as if he owns her all the fucking time.
And Tanya, for someone so fiery in the first two chapters, she sure took all that abuse without batting an eye.
What's more, the shittiest part about this book isn't even everything mentioned above. It was the last chapter, where the blatant rape was now worded as Rafe being "rough in bed." I can't even!!
1 star is a generosity because sadly GR won't let me rate it any less.
TW: R*pe
So, Rafe doesn't have even one admirable quality apart from being "devastatingly handsome" and yet Tanya is deeply in love with him. He mishandles her, ignores her and even forces himself on her at one point but all this is brushed off. WHY ? Oh because he had a sad childhood, he had to look after his oh so many siblings curtesy of being the eldest. I don't understand how does that give him the right to act so shitty all the time. He keeps doubting Tanya, accuses him of sleeping with someone else, doubts that he's the father when she falls pregnant and acts as if he owns her all the fucking time.
And Tanya, for someone so fiery in the first two chapters, she sure took all that abuse without batting an eye.
What's more, the shittiest part about this book isn't even everything mentioned above. It was the last chapter, where the blatant rape was now worded as Rafe being "rough in bed." I can't even!!
1 star is a generosity because sadly GR won't let me rate it any less.
April 30, 2012
The hero and heroine are married but she's never felt like a wife. The hero shares his life with his PA, a woman who is sickly obsessed with him and he doesn't see it. When the heroine has finally had enough and confesses her fears and disappointments about his PA and their life in general, the hero is shocked. When the heroine walks out on the hero, he is even more shocked and disturbed. He will try anything to get her back except give up his PA. Then he realizes how much trouble his PA is actually causing and what a manipulative bitch she actually is. Now is the time to grovel..
I really adored this book. It was great and I absolutely LOVED the heroine, she was kick ass, sticking up for herself and taking no crap. The hero was pretty oblivious and even very unintelligent sometimes, I had the urge to kick him..
I really adored this book. It was great and I absolutely LOVED the heroine, she was kick ass, sticking up for herself and taking no crap. The hero was pretty oblivious and even very unintelligent sometimes, I had the urge to kick him..
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