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The Man Behind The Mask
The scars he bears are the only visible reminder of the life Eduardo de Souza left behind in Brazil. He prefers to live in solitude. He doesn't want anybody's pity.
However, when Eduardo sees innocent, pretty Marianne Lockwood literally singing for her supper, he impulsively offers her a job as his live-in housekeeper. Marianne is drawn by her handsome, brooding boss and is soon willingly taken between his sheets. But Eduardo is holding back the darkness of the past, and when he whisks Marianne away to Rio, it's only a matter of time before she finds out the truth….
However, when Eduardo sees innocent, pretty Marianne Lockwood literally singing for her supper, he impulsively offers her a job as his live-in housekeeper. Marianne is drawn by her handsome, brooding boss and is soon willingly taken between his sheets. But Eduardo is holding back the darkness of the past, and when he whisks Marianne away to Rio, it's only a matter of time before she finds out the truth….
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 4, 2009
2 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Cox
477 books71 followersMaggie Cox loved to write almost as soon as she learned to read. Her favorite occupation was daydreaming and making up stories in her head, and this particular pastime has stayed with her through all the years of growing up, starting work, marrying and raising a family. No matter what was going on in her life, whether joy, happiness, struggle or disappointment, she'd go to bed each night and lose herself in her imagination. Through all the years of her secretarial career she kept on filling exercise books and the "joy oh joy" her word processor with her writing, never showing anyone what she wrote and basically keeping her stories for her own enjoyment alone.
It wasn't until she met her second husband and the "love of her life" that she was persuaded to start sharing those stories with a publisher. She settled on Mills & Boon (Harlequin) as she had loved romance novels since she was a teenager and read at least one or two paperbacks a week. After several rejections, the letters that were sent back from the publisher started to become more and more positive and encouraging, and in July 2002 she sold her first book A Passionate Protector. Since then she has continued written.
The fact that she is being published is truly a dream come true; however, each book she writes is still a journey in "courage and hope," and a quest to learn and grow and be "the best writer she can." Her advice to aspiring authors is: "Don't give up at the first hurdle, or even the second, third or fourth, but keep on keeping on until your dream is realized because if you are truly passionate about writing and learning the craft, as Paulo Coehlo states in his book The Alchemist: "The Universe will conspire to help you make it a reality."
It wasn't until she met her second husband and the "love of her life" that she was persuaded to start sharing those stories with a publisher. She settled on Mills & Boon (Harlequin) as she had loved romance novels since she was a teenager and read at least one or two paperbacks a week. After several rejections, the letters that were sent back from the publisher started to become more and more positive and encouraging, and in July 2002 she sold her first book A Passionate Protector. Since then she has continued written.
The fact that she is being published is truly a dream come true; however, each book she writes is still a journey in "courage and hope," and a quest to learn and grow and be "the best writer she can." Her advice to aspiring authors is: "Don't give up at the first hurdle, or even the second, third or fourth, but keep on keeping on until your dream is realized because if you are truly passionate about writing and learning the craft, as Paulo Coehlo states in his book The Alchemist: "The Universe will conspire to help you make it a reality."
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 16, 2016
Eduardo De Souza (who's 37) has been noticing a girl busking on the street with her guitar the few times he's been to town. He thinks she's poor and is singing for money. He goes to talk to her and to leave some money for her but she tells him she sings because she loves to and she's compelled to. Her name is Marianne Lockwood (24) and she suffers from stagefright. She's trying to sing to a small crowd to build up her confidence so she can sing to a larger crowd someday.
Eduardo leaves but eventually goes back to town and talks to Marianne again. He invites her to eat with him and offers her a job as his housekeeper. At first she turns him down. Marianne has a home, but she is now a widow. Her husband of six months (Donal) died from a terminal illness. His grown up children resent the fact that Donal left his home to Marianne. Eduardo points out the weather is getting colder and it will be hard for her to perform outside in the upcoming frigid temperatures. Eduardo gives Marianne his phone number in case she changes her mind and they part ways again.
But after thinking about it at home Marianne suddenly decides it's time to be free again, no more negative, self-pitying thoughts. So she turns over the house to Donal's children and decides to start fresh. She accepts Eduado's job offer and moves to his home.
Eduardo has also had some pain in his past. Originally from Rio de Janeiro he is now living in the UK (he's half British). His wife died in a car accident that he was also in and he now walks with a cane, has a limp, and has had nine operations on his shattered leg. He's been reclusive for the past two years. But Marianne seems very good at getting Eduardo out of his shell and to start enjoying things again.
This was a lovely romance. I liked Eduardo and Marianne. They were very likable characters who had similarities---losing their spouses. I liked the wintry snowy setting in the UK, and later, at the end, sunny Rio.
This was a pleasant, sweet read.
Eduardo leaves but eventually goes back to town and talks to Marianne again. He invites her to eat with him and offers her a job as his housekeeper. At first she turns him down. Marianne has a home, but she is now a widow. Her husband of six months (Donal) died from a terminal illness. His grown up children resent the fact that Donal left his home to Marianne. Eduardo points out the weather is getting colder and it will be hard for her to perform outside in the upcoming frigid temperatures. Eduardo gives Marianne his phone number in case she changes her mind and they part ways again.
But after thinking about it at home Marianne suddenly decides it's time to be free again, no more negative, self-pitying thoughts. So she turns over the house to Donal's children and decides to start fresh. She accepts Eduado's job offer and moves to his home.
Eduardo has also had some pain in his past. Originally from Rio de Janeiro he is now living in the UK (he's half British). His wife died in a car accident that he was also in and he now walks with a cane, has a limp, and has had nine operations on his shattered leg. He's been reclusive for the past two years. But Marianne seems very good at getting Eduardo out of his shell and to start enjoying things again.
This was a lovely romance. I liked Eduardo and Marianne. They were very likable characters who had similarities---losing their spouses. I liked the wintry snowy setting in the UK, and later, at the end, sunny Rio.
This was a pleasant, sweet read.
September 27, 2018
Saccharine sweet story. She was married to a 59 years old man and not once gold-digger accusation. No angst even H lost his to-be-divorced wife in a car accident. I was little bit bored. (I know, I ‘m not normal. Lol)
January 20, 2018
Heroine is a musician. She lost her husband recently she is now lonely and poor. She is actually a virgin widow since when she married her husband he was very old and sick. Hero is a widower. His wife died in a car accident but he was about to divorce her so it was not a happy marriage. He now walks with a cane, he has a limp and he is broken and brooding. Marianne makes him happy and whole again and they find true love and happiness.
Very sweet story. I liked that heroine was pure, virginal and a sweetheart. Hero was moody and kind of depressed until Marianne entered his life. I loved their chemistry. Needed a cute epilogue though.
Very sweet story. I liked that heroine was pure, virginal and a sweetheart. Hero was moody and kind of depressed until Marianne entered his life. I loved their chemistry. Needed a cute epilogue though.
November 23, 2011
This was an okay read. Not poorly written. It just lacked any real tension or conflict. There were a couple of good/interesting ideas that could have been played up for more tension. For example the hero, Eduardo, sees the poorly dressed heroine playing guitar with a hat out on the side of the road and thinks she is maybe a 17 year old runaway or homeless girl. I would have loved some tension about him supposedly falling in love with a teenager and being all angsty about it, but instead he finds out at their second meeting that she is 24. And as has been done to death in Harleys, she is the widow of a much older man who she married while he was sick and they never consummated their marriage. He's all angsty about feeling responsible for his wife's death but sure enough it wasn't really his fault. As soon as Eduardo and the heroine, Marianne, meet she "saves" him and they proceed to live HEA. It was sweet and kept my interest enough for me to finish it but it didn't really stand out much.
November 25, 2011
I'm a sucker for a Jane Eyreish love story even if it is offered in a serial romance.
April 19, 2011
Since the accident that has caused him to have 9 leg surgeries and claimed the life of his wife and possible child (an affair was suspected) Eduardo de Souza has left his home and settled in a remote place away from everybody. He is in constant pain, but believes it is what he deserves.
When he sees young Marianne Lockwood singing on a street corner, he realizes that after just a few conversations, she has worked her way into his subconscious. Believing she should get out of the cold weather, he offers her a job as his housekeeper.
6 months ago, Marianne's husband died of a terminal illness. Ever since then she has been fighting with his grown children over his will. In which, he left everything to her. Being nearly twice her age of 24 and terminally sick, they never consummated their relationship and upon further inspection, Marianne realizes although she cared for him, their relationship was purely platonic. After Eduardo's offer, she decides fighting with his children isn't worth it and decides to start fresh by taking the job.
However, she realizes Eduardo has many ghost haunting his past and tip toes around him to avoid his bad moods. After taking care of her sick husband she realizes the pain he is going through.
Eventually Eduardo admits the fire that Marianne lights up in him. Something that hasn't happened in a long time. After getting to know each other by playing chess, Eduardo learns of the precious gift she is giving him by sharing his bed.
Now, Eduardo is ready to return home with Marianne by his side. As they go about in public, Eduardo causes much attention and after a journalism confronts Eduardo in front of Marianne, it's time he told her the hole story surrounding his wife's death.
As she had become more famous for the Soap Opera she played in, him and his wife and started growing apart and had agreed upon a divorce. As a birthday present, he bought her a sports car that she had been begging for. After a party he let her drive home, where she lost control of the car and crashed.
Finally getting all the air out between them, Eduardo and Marianne find happiness in each other.
When he sees young Marianne Lockwood singing on a street corner, he realizes that after just a few conversations, she has worked her way into his subconscious. Believing she should get out of the cold weather, he offers her a job as his housekeeper.
6 months ago, Marianne's husband died of a terminal illness. Ever since then she has been fighting with his grown children over his will. In which, he left everything to her. Being nearly twice her age of 24 and terminally sick, they never consummated their relationship and upon further inspection, Marianne realizes although she cared for him, their relationship was purely platonic. After Eduardo's offer, she decides fighting with his children isn't worth it and decides to start fresh by taking the job.
However, she realizes Eduardo has many ghost haunting his past and tip toes around him to avoid his bad moods. After taking care of her sick husband she realizes the pain he is going through.
Eventually Eduardo admits the fire that Marianne lights up in him. Something that hasn't happened in a long time. After getting to know each other by playing chess, Eduardo learns of the precious gift she is giving him by sharing his bed.
Now, Eduardo is ready to return home with Marianne by his side. As they go about in public, Eduardo causes much attention and after a journalism confronts Eduardo in front of Marianne, it's time he told her the hole story surrounding his wife's death.
As she had become more famous for the Soap Opera she played in, him and his wife and started growing apart and had agreed upon a divorce. As a birthday present, he bought her a sports car that she had been begging for. After a party he let her drive home, where she lost control of the car and crashed.
Finally getting all the air out between them, Eduardo and Marianne find happiness in each other.
June 8, 2014
Marianne Lockwood does things simply for the love of it, a free spirit, if you will, as she doesn’t seem overly concerned about money. However, she is trying to grow to do a little something more in her life. She wants to overcome a fear that she has. Eduardo believes that she is destitute and he likes to help others, but tries to stay disconnected from people as well. He has his own cross to bear. Eduardo doesn’t want pity which he views Marianne’s compassion as, but he also feels drawn to her.
This one wasn’t overly angsty and I enjoyed that both Eduardo and Marianne seemed like more of your everyday people. Sure Eduardo had money and Marianne walked away from what she could have fought for, but in the end that were normal people. Sure Marianne had a past that not most women would go in to w/ good intentions….but it worked for this story :/ I didn’t like that Eduardo’s past ex had to be maligned slightly, and made to be the fall guy. But overall the story was interesting, just not overly engaging almost chicken soupy for the soul :)
This one wasn’t overly angsty and I enjoyed that both Eduardo and Marianne seemed like more of your everyday people. Sure Eduardo had money and Marianne walked away from what she could have fought for, but in the end that were normal people. Sure Marianne had a past that not most women would go in to w/ good intentions….but it worked for this story :/ I didn’t like that Eduardo’s past ex had to be maligned slightly, and made to be the fall guy. But overall the story was interesting, just not overly engaging almost chicken soupy for the soul :)
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December 24, 2014Miniseries: From Rags to Riches
Read
December 24, 2014Miniseries: From Rags to Riches
December 6, 2015
It was a sweet story of two sad souls. However, the spark between the two of them and interesting conflicts were missing.
February 12, 2015
It was an okay read
Very short though
Very short though
hq-to-read
August 22, 2018The scars he bears are the only visible reminder of the life Eduardo de Souza left behind in Brazil. He prefers to live in solitude. He doesn't want anybody's pity.
However, when Eduardo sees innocent, pretty Marianne Lockwood literally singing for her supper, he impulsively offers her a job as his live-in housekeeper. Marianne is drawn by her handsome, brooding boss and is soon willingly taken between his sheets. But Eduardo is holding back the darkness of the past, and when he whisks Marianne away to Rio, it's only a matter of time before she finds out the truth.
However, when Eduardo sees innocent, pretty Marianne Lockwood literally singing for her supper, he impulsively offers her a job as his live-in housekeeper. Marianne is drawn by her handsome, brooding boss and is soon willingly taken between his sheets. But Eduardo is holding back the darkness of the past, and when he whisks Marianne away to Rio, it's only a matter of time before she finds out the truth.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews