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Hidden Mistress, Public Wife
Exclusiva : El soltero más codiciado de Sídney se casa… El multimillonario Jordan Powell solía aparecer en la prensa del corazón de Sídney y, en esa ocasión, lo hizo con una mujer nueva del brazo. Acostumbrado a que todas se rindieran
184 pages, Paperback
Published December 17, 2010
26 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Emma Darcy
640 books327 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 44 reviews
September 3, 2019
Pluses and minuses
Hero Minus
STD walking
His sister: a whiny, needy, manipulative drug user
His mother: an enabler and a judgmental snob
Hero Plus
Sexually experienced
Persistent
Very sexually experienced
His true love, his housekeeper Margaret
Heroine Minus
Caves Falls for the hero’s Rico Suave ways
Indifferent mother
Biological father
Wake-me-up-before-you-go-go fashion sense
Heather tapped her finger on a picture featuring a model wearing a black sequinned jacket with a wide leather belt cinching in her waist, a pink sequinned mini-skirt, and high-heeled black platform shoes with pink and yellow and green bits attached to straps that ended up around her ankles. ‘If you wore this to your mother’s exhibition, you’d knock everyone’s eyes out.’
Why, yes, you would. I want some pink, yellow and green bits too. Whatever the hell they are.
Heroine Plus
Pretty curly red hair
Doesn’t freckle
Willingness to overlook his family and a desire to please
NOT a gold-digger. Repeat, NOT a gold-digger
PLOT
The heroine and H met at one of her mother’s art shows, but he was with his most recent babe and couldn’t seduce. The h also knows him as she is his supplier for roses once his run of true lust is over the latest in his harem.
They meet again a couple of years later when the h dresses up in her sequined WHAM! outfit and wows him, her mother, but not his mother at her mother’s art show. The heroine is willfully indifferent to the H up until they have public sex on the top of her car. I’m assuming it’s not a Beetle, and that’s pretty much the rest of the story. Hey, maybe that’s why this is called “Wife in Public” because they have sex in public?
Back at the H estate for lots of sex later, the coked up amoral sister of the H swans in to cause some damage because there is nothing like a drunk and coked up serial adulterer to throw shade and class condescension.
The H doesn’t as much fall in love with the heroine as not want to lose the best booty call ever especially as the true love of his life, Margaret the housekeeper, is too old for him and has a flat bum. She said it, not me.
And what the heck. It's been a while since this gem's been let loose on the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELfly...
Nice legs, George.
Hero Minus
STD walking
His sister: a whiny, needy, manipulative drug user
His mother: an enabler and a judgmental snob
Hero Plus
Sexually experienced
Persistent
Very sexually experienced
His true love, his housekeeper Margaret
Heroine Minus
Indifferent mother
Biological father
Wake-me-up-before-you-go-go fashion sense
Heather tapped her finger on a picture featuring a model wearing a black sequinned jacket with a wide leather belt cinching in her waist, a pink sequinned mini-skirt, and high-heeled black platform shoes with pink and yellow and green bits attached to straps that ended up around her ankles. ‘If you wore this to your mother’s exhibition, you’d knock everyone’s eyes out.’
Why, yes, you would. I want some pink, yellow and green bits too. Whatever the hell they are.
Heroine Plus
Pretty curly red hair
Doesn’t freckle
Willingness to overlook his family and a desire to please
NOT a gold-digger. Repeat, NOT a gold-digger
PLOT
The heroine and H met at one of her mother’s art shows, but he was with his most recent babe and couldn’t seduce. The h also knows him as she is his supplier for roses once his run of true lust is over the latest in his harem.
They meet again a couple of years later when the h dresses up in her sequined WHAM! outfit and wows him, her mother, but not his mother at her mother’s art show. The heroine is willfully indifferent to the H up until they have public sex on the top of her car. I’m assuming it’s not a Beetle, and that’s pretty much the rest of the story. Hey, maybe that’s why this is called “Wife in Public” because they have sex in public?
Back at the H estate for lots of sex later, the coked up amoral sister of the H swans in to cause some damage because there is nothing like a drunk and coked up serial adulterer to throw shade and class condescension.
The H doesn’t as much fall in love with the heroine as not want to lose the best booty call ever especially as the true love of his life, Margaret the housekeeper, is too old for him and has a flat bum. She said it, not me.
And what the heck. It's been a while since this gem's been let loose on the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELfly...
Nice legs, George.
July 4, 2015
First of all i dint get the name....hardly befitting and she's strictly not a mistress (by harly standards) as Ivy's an independent girl and is not being kept by him. The story began very promisingly and the initial chase and her capitulation were hot and exciting. The h has a rose farm and the H doesn't know it using her farm to send roses to all his exes and of course he even sends her loads of roses to woo her not knowing he's using her own farm and that was really funny... but then it sorta went tepid and downhill... and then she's threatening to run every few chapters and while i found jordan a really sweet sorta guy but his 'falling in love' was left too late and unbelievable for me. The excitement went out of their relationship halfway and i kept hoping for a suitable buildup for a climax but nada and the unexpected twist at the end was only OTT and dIsappointing. Although i could give 3.8 stars for the first half.
p.s. at one point in the story i found Jordan being 'sad' when his his mom reveals having a disppointing sex life, quite unintendedly hilarious.
p.s. at one point in the story i found Jordan being 'sad' when his his mom reveals having a disppointing sex life, quite unintendedly hilarious.
July 14, 2011
The book? so-so. The sex encounter? a wallbanger. Or to be more accurate, a car-banger.
The plot is a contemporary Cinderella tale. A successful business owner of a rose farm, the heroine Ivy meets the billionaire “prince” at her mother’s art exhibition and, in lieu of old-fashioned ballroom dancing, they have a one-night-stand.
Leaving her glass slipper behind (or in this case, memories of a fantastic lay), she flees his castle the following morning. He pursues her relentlessly until she gives in and becomes his weekend lover. A contretemps between his evil, spoiled sister and the naturally-sweet heroine spurs him into protective stance and he proposes to her in defense. Add on an extortion attempt and now he goes on full alpha mode and slays the dragon to prove his love for the heroine.
As far as the Cinderella story goes, it’s decent. But what really gets me, aside from the "seal-the-deal" attitude that flashed in his mind before he proposed, is the exhibitionist copulation on the trunk of her car out in the streets at night. Unprotected, too. Eeeuw!
This is why Instantaneous-Sex plots are abhorrent to me: If the guy can do torrid sex with the heroine, a virtual stranger, based on lust, what deters him from doing so in a secluded interlude with a business associate, cocktail waitress, airline stewardess, young model, or even his personal assistant in the future? Absence of love surely didn’t prevent him from seducing the heroine; I doubt that his newly-found, euphoric love would restrain him to fidelity in the long-term. Love does not automatically inoculate him from bad habits and sexual proclivity acquired over years of his free-wheeling around.
To believe otherwise is to fall for the greater fairy tale here than the Cinderella plot.
The plot is a contemporary Cinderella tale. A successful business owner of a rose farm, the heroine Ivy meets the billionaire “prince” at her mother’s art exhibition and, in lieu of old-fashioned ballroom dancing, they have a one-night-stand.
Leaving her glass slipper behind (or in this case, memories of a fantastic lay), she flees his castle the following morning. He pursues her relentlessly until she gives in and becomes his weekend lover. A contretemps between his evil, spoiled sister and the naturally-sweet heroine spurs him into protective stance and he proposes to her in defense. Add on an extortion attempt and now he goes on full alpha mode and slays the dragon to prove his love for the heroine.
As far as the Cinderella story goes, it’s decent. But what really gets me, aside from the "seal-the-deal" attitude that flashed in his mind before he proposed, is the exhibitionist copulation on the trunk of her car out in the streets at night. Unprotected, too. Eeeuw!
This is why Instantaneous-Sex plots are abhorrent to me: If the guy can do torrid sex with the heroine, a virtual stranger, based on lust, what deters him from doing so in a secluded interlude with a business associate, cocktail waitress, airline stewardess, young model, or even his personal assistant in the future? Absence of love surely didn’t prevent him from seducing the heroine; I doubt that his newly-found, euphoric love would restrain him to fidelity in the long-term. Love does not automatically inoculate him from bad habits and sexual proclivity acquired over years of his free-wheeling around.
To believe otherwise is to fall for the greater fairy tale here than the Cinderella plot.
February 6, 2018
The h in this was great and I actually ended up liking him too. I saw their love grow and I saw how they both tried to fight it. I liked how she was wise to his wooing of women by his rose and candy buying habits. LOL I loved it when she said NO ROSES! That cracked me up. I was hoping she would send him some since she knew his predelictions. I liked her Mom and was glad she really loved her daughter and showed it more towards the end of the book. I really liked the housekeeper too. She was a hoot. I like how she treated the h and vice versa. She didnt let the H get too full of himself too. It was a very good story and I loved the ending.
March 17, 2017
Ugh. The beginning of this book was terrible for me. My idea of romance is tension and slow burn, so when H and h in Wife in Public have unprotected sex on the trunk of her car in a public street a couple of hours after they meet, I almost dropped the book right then and there. Maybe the author meant for the title to be Sex in Public *sigh*
Well, it's Emma Darcy so I decided to continue. It did get better. At least, the author didn't insult my intelligence by having these two fall in insta-love. They may have put the cart before the horse, but what these two got involved with later was a true courtship, with the same uncertainties, vulnerabilities, pleasures and pains of getting to know each other and falling in love.
The "hook" of this story was that the h owned a rose farm that the H had been using for years to send flowers and fudge to his numerous pump-and-dump temporary bedwarmers, making the heroine understandably weary of getting involved with this lothario for longer than a one-night stand.
The author did a great job of hammering the point that the H, though he enjoyed sampling the lady buffet, was ultimately kind of disappointed and lonely in his life, and ready for the breath of fresh air that was the heroine. He was very weary too of being used for his money and connections. His sister was on her third marriage, with all her husbands being nasty fortune-hunters who humiliated, used, and threatened her, and he was the one to pick up the pieces, so that scored some points for him that made up for the initially nauseating image of the lust-crazed playboy.
The secondary characters were very effective. The alcoholic, cocaine snorting sister who humiliated the heroine was a good stand-in for the typical HP OW, of which there were none in this story, any involvement the hero having had in the past safely off the page. His haughty mother, she of the limp noodle handshake and holier than thou attitude was also a riot. The hero's housekeeper was definitely a keeper.
The heroine's mother strangely morphed from an icy, criticizing Mommy Dearest to a tragic, warm mother-figure by the end, which was weird. I could have really done without the last minute insertion of a skeleton in the heroine's mom's closet regarding the paternity of the heroine and which almost ruined their engagement party.
It was also a bit weird that the hero proposed marriage to the heroine as a desperate attempt to postpone their break-up, and he always had in the back of his mind that if things didn't work out during a long engagement, he could always back out of the marriage ultimately but he would have at least gotten his fill of her in bed by then. It was only as he saw her suffer humiliation at the hands of an unscrupulous blackmailer that he decided she was for keeps? Ummm... Forgive me for feeling nostalgic for all those non politically correct vintage romantic heroes who took one look at the heroine and decided to instantly lock it in with a marriage whether the heroine wanted one or not because she had to belong to him FOREVER lol. All this wishy-washiness is a bit of a let-down.
Overall though, this was an adequate, contemporary Harlequin story with a very nice heroine that I was happy to see get a well-deserved HE A.
Well, it's Emma Darcy so I decided to continue. It did get better. At least, the author didn't insult my intelligence by having these two fall in insta-love. They may have put the cart before the horse, but what these two got involved with later was a true courtship, with the same uncertainties, vulnerabilities, pleasures and pains of getting to know each other and falling in love.
The "hook" of this story was that the h owned a rose farm that the H had been using for years to send flowers and fudge to his numerous pump-and-dump temporary bedwarmers, making the heroine understandably weary of getting involved with this lothario for longer than a one-night stand.
The author did a great job of hammering the point that the H, though he enjoyed sampling the lady buffet, was ultimately kind of disappointed and lonely in his life, and ready for the breath of fresh air that was the heroine. He was very weary too of being used for his money and connections. His sister was on her third marriage, with all her husbands being nasty fortune-hunters who humiliated, used, and threatened her, and he was the one to pick up the pieces, so that scored some points for him that made up for the initially nauseating image of the lust-crazed playboy.
The secondary characters were very effective. The alcoholic, cocaine snorting sister who humiliated the heroine was a good stand-in for the typical HP OW, of which there were none in this story, any involvement the hero having had in the past safely off the page. His haughty mother, she of the limp noodle handshake and holier than thou attitude was also a riot. The hero's housekeeper was definitely a keeper.
The heroine's mother strangely morphed from an icy, criticizing Mommy Dearest to a tragic, warm mother-figure by the end, which was weird. I could have really done without the last minute insertion of a skeleton in the heroine's mom's closet regarding the paternity of the heroine and which almost ruined their engagement party.
It was also a bit weird that the hero proposed marriage to the heroine as a desperate attempt to postpone their break-up, and he always had in the back of his mind that if things didn't work out during a long engagement, he could always back out of the marriage ultimately but he would have at least gotten his fill of her in bed by then. It was only as he saw her suffer humiliation at the hands of an unscrupulous blackmailer that he decided she was for keeps? Ummm... Forgive me for feeling nostalgic for all those non politically correct vintage romantic heroes who took one look at the heroine and decided to instantly lock it in with a marriage whether the heroine wanted one or not because she had to belong to him FOREVER lol. All this wishy-washiness is a bit of a let-down.
Overall though, this was an adequate, contemporary Harlequin story with a very nice heroine that I was happy to see get a well-deserved HE A.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2020
3.45 Magic Cookie Stars
This is the classic tale of a gigantic manwhore being tamed by the h’s Woman Wonderland. Bringing him into monogamous status, because no other lady-bits will ever satisfy him again. Go Team V!! Manwhores don’t typically bother me (if they’re single…which he was) simply because maneaters are ok too… to each their own. I actually liked that she knew what she wanted (which was sex with Jordan) and went for it… on the trunk of her car… the same night she meets him. I love a sexually confident female, as long as she’s going after an unattached man. 😉
This is pretty low drama; there aren’t any jilted lovers coming out of the woodwork to cause trouble, and once he’s in… he’s in. The obligatory bitchy OW, actually comes from his drunker, coked out bitter sister, and his snooty mom, which Jordan nips in the bud straight away. I will say he has a weird no-boundaries relationship with his housekeeper that was odd. I would love a word count of just how many times he said “Margaret” but I’m reading with scribd, and I don’t think it’s an option, but I’d bet it’s A LOT. ** I couldn’t help it… I came up with 83 😊
Many reviewers called it a Cinderella story, and there's the famous/not famous dynamic, but the h isn’t poor, plain or in need of a makeover. She actually drops it like it’s hot with her black sequined jacket paired with a bright miniskirt and colorful platform pumps when she meets Jordan at her mom’s show. Her mom is an artist/flighty, but not mean, and she has good friends, so she’s a well-rounded/secure gal.
Bottom Line- I liked it; it’s not very soapy (until the end) but both characters were likable, and didn’t annoy me which is always a plus. Everyone was adulting in this one, and after coming after an immature child bride… I needed it. It ends rather abruptly, and an epilogue would have been nice.
This is the classic tale of a gigantic manwhore being tamed by the h’s Woman Wonderland. Bringing him into monogamous status, because no other lady-bits will ever satisfy him again. Go Team V!! Manwhores don’t typically bother me (if they’re single…which he was) simply because maneaters are ok too… to each their own. I actually liked that she knew what she wanted (which was sex with Jordan) and went for it… on the trunk of her car… the same night she meets him. I love a sexually confident female, as long as she’s going after an unattached man. 😉
This is pretty low drama; there aren’t any jilted lovers coming out of the woodwork to cause trouble, and once he’s in… he’s in. The obligatory bitchy OW, actually comes from his drunker, coked out bitter sister, and his snooty mom, which Jordan nips in the bud straight away. I will say he has a weird no-boundaries relationship with his housekeeper that was odd. I would love a word count of just how many times he said “Margaret” but I’m reading with scribd, and I don’t think it’s an option, but I’d bet it’s A LOT. ** I couldn’t help it… I came up with 83 😊
Many reviewers called it a Cinderella story, and there's the famous/not famous dynamic, but the h isn’t poor, plain or in need of a makeover. She actually drops it like it’s hot with her black sequined jacket paired with a bright miniskirt and colorful platform pumps when she meets Jordan at her mom’s show. Her mom is an artist/flighty, but not mean, and she has good friends, so she’s a well-rounded/secure gal.
Bottom Line- I liked it; it’s not very soapy (until the end) but both characters were likable, and didn’t annoy me which is always a plus. Everyone was adulting in this one, and after coming after an immature child bride… I needed it. It ends rather abruptly, and an epilogue would have been nice.
August 17, 2011
The heroine Ivy runs a successful rose farm where the hero Jordan often places his orders for roses for his many lovers. Ivy has also had personal experience of Jordan when she met him at one of her mother's exhibitions and he made it clear he was interested in her. Ivy is not interested in getting involved with a shameless playboy and is happy living out in the country. However she meets him again and they are immediately attracted to one another and they end up spending the night together. Ivy leaves the next morning knowing that there is no future for them. Jordan is shocked by how much he desires Ivy and desperately wants to get to know her more, however she left before he had chance to ask her. He pursues her ruthlessly and Ivy eventually succumbs to his charm and they begin seeing each other regularly. They become very close and eventually fall in love, but Ivy is hurt by the fact that Jordan seems to be hiding her from his social circle while Jordan doesn't want anything to ruin their happiness.
This is quite an enjoyable book, and well written. However, I think the book started off really strong, it was interesting and quite original, then it just simply lost it's way. The meeting and initial relationship between the hero and heroine is fantastic and really had me hooked. Then when the conflict issues are introduced it's too predictable and the proposal/I-love-you-moment is done way too late and completely out of the blue. The title and blurb is rather misleading as well.
Overall, this is a quick and enjoyable read, but not great.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
This is quite an enjoyable book, and well written. However, I think the book started off really strong, it was interesting and quite original, then it just simply lost it's way. The meeting and initial relationship between the hero and heroine is fantastic and really had me hooked. Then when the conflict issues are introduced it's too predictable and the proposal/I-love-you-moment is done way too late and completely out of the blue. The title and blurb is rather misleading as well.
Overall, this is a quick and enjoyable read, but not great.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
September 5, 2019
Was just okay. Just feel it could have been so much better.
I liked the trope that the heroine was the on-line supplier of the Hero for his flowers for all his past relationships so she knew all his moves. Since he orders on line he doesn’t know that this is the heroine. I liked that she revealed this to him at the start of their relationship so there was not deception and betrayal silliness to expound upon. 🙄 (Gosh when have I become so bland! 😂 if this was written in the 1980s ED would have totally run with this and blown it all out of proportion!) oh well we’re in 2010 so people are normal.
I liked that the heroine did not make it easy for the Hero at the start, he had to pursue her for a month before she even agreed to meet him.
Their chemistry is hot! But yes I agree w other reviewers sex on top of a car in public 🤭😲 ah no pls.
Anyway not too much angst. No OM OW complications except the Hero’s sister is a b#@%h and makes the heroine think she is The closet mistress of the hero since he keeps her to himself. But the hero explained and groveled about this properly when the heroine confronted him with it...yes another normal thing...an 80s heroine would have run away with no explanation 🙄
But all in all a good enough read.
P.s. Another stupid, unrelated title... but that’s not ED’s fault.
I liked the trope that the heroine was the on-line supplier of the Hero for his flowers for all his past relationships so she knew all his moves. Since he orders on line he doesn’t know that this is the heroine. I liked that she revealed this to him at the start of their relationship so there was not deception and betrayal silliness to expound upon. 🙄 (Gosh when have I become so bland! 😂 if this was written in the 1980s ED would have totally run with this and blown it all out of proportion!) oh well we’re in 2010 so people are normal.
I liked that the heroine did not make it easy for the Hero at the start, he had to pursue her for a month before she even agreed to meet him.
Their chemistry is hot! But yes I agree w other reviewers sex on top of a car in public 🤭😲 ah no pls.
Anyway not too much angst. No OM OW complications except the Hero’s sister is a b#@%h and makes the heroine think she is The closet mistress of the hero since he keeps her to himself. But the hero explained and groveled about this properly when the heroine confronted him with it...yes another normal thing...an 80s heroine would have run away with no explanation 🙄
But all in all a good enough read.
P.s. Another stupid, unrelated title... but that’s not ED’s fault.
May 1, 2016
Right from the title of this book to the story and premise this book is pointless. I'm sorry but I guess I wasn't in the mood for it? It seemed to drag on without a plot or point, but most books from this series do.
[Spoilers?]
The book is about a 27-year-old "farm girl" and if you missed it the first time, you'll hear about it several times. Yes, she is different from the other girls because she is a "farm girl". The hero is 36-year-old billionaire playboy who has trust issues with women because his sister, Olivia - a 30-year old woman has been married thrice and each time to a fortune hunter.
There are so many missed opportunities in this book, and the entire plot just revolves around a plain and annoying heroine and a pointlessly determined hero. I was not convinced that these two loved each other, even their mating scenes left me cold, tbh.
The thing I was most offended by was the fact that Jordon the H felt that Olivia was being a cougar by marrying someone 7 years younger than her because NATURALLY he would only want her for her money (the fact that this is true is just stupid writing) because he himself is dating girls that are like 10 or more years younger! So doesn't that mean they are only after his money? I really dislike stupid double standards like these.
I was tolerating the book until I came to that point and after that I was really fed up because it seriously moved no where. Finally had to just push myself to finish the final few pages and really, it's sloppy to the very end.
I really like this author but this book was a major disappointment.
[Spoilers?]
The book is about a 27-year-old "farm girl" and if you missed it the first time, you'll hear about it several times. Yes, she is different from the other girls because she is a "farm girl". The hero is 36-year-old billionaire playboy who has trust issues with women because his sister, Olivia - a 30-year old woman has been married thrice and each time to a fortune hunter.
There are so many missed opportunities in this book, and the entire plot just revolves around a plain and annoying heroine and a pointlessly determined hero. I was not convinced that these two loved each other, even their mating scenes left me cold, tbh.
The thing I was most offended by was the fact that Jordon the H felt that Olivia was being a cougar by marrying someone 7 years younger than her because NATURALLY he would only want her for her money (the fact that this is true is just stupid writing) because he himself is dating girls that are like 10 or more years younger! So doesn't that mean they are only after his money? I really dislike stupid double standards like these.
I was tolerating the book until I came to that point and after that I was really fed up because it seriously moved no where. Finally had to just push myself to finish the final few pages and really, it's sloppy to the very end.
I really like this author but this book was a major disappointment.
July 2, 2012
Jordan and Ivy meet at her mother’s exhibit. He seems intrigued w/ our lovely h, but she still holds back some. She is sort of the reverse snob in this story as Jordan is a rich playboy and Ivy runs a rose farm that doesn’t do to bad financially. However, it is Ivy’s rose farm that Jordan frequently buys his roses and little treats from for his other women. Ivy is aware of his rep and what the orders signify in regards to his r/s. Jordan and Ivy go 0-60 pretty quick on their first outing and Ivy reluctantly pulls back, which forces Jordan to continue to pursue her as patiently as he possibly can.
I really liked Jordan and the way he waited for Ivy until she finally gave in and met w/ him again. The racy car scene was….well racy and hot for an HP, IMHO. But the way that Jordan had to work to get to Ivy was very romantic and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Jordan’s family got a bit snotty w/ Ivy, but I think his POW sister meant well…or at least she claimed she did. I did feel like Jordan was playing Ivy a bit towards the end in order to hold on to something, but I think he pulled through for her when the-didn’t-see-it-coming-drama popped up at the end!
I too need to comment that a character seemed to change names at the end as well and I think Ivy proved my point on some characters’ POV. She thought the look she got from Jordan meant one thing when in actuality he was thinking something completely different which explains why I don’t always like first person POV stories. All-in-all this is a decent read. It seemed to hit more on romance for me and less on drama, even though some was tossed in just to stir up things a bit. I’m still wondering about the title though because that didn’t seem to apply to them in this story.
I really liked Jordan and the way he waited for Ivy until she finally gave in and met w/ him again. The racy car scene was….well racy and hot for an HP, IMHO. But the way that Jordan had to work to get to Ivy was very romantic and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Jordan’s family got a bit snotty w/ Ivy, but I think his POW sister meant well…or at least she claimed she did. I did feel like Jordan was playing Ivy a bit towards the end in order to hold on to something, but I think he pulled through for her when the-didn’t-see-it-coming-drama popped up at the end!
I too need to comment that a character seemed to change names at the end as well and I think Ivy proved my point on some characters’ POV. She thought the look she got from Jordan meant one thing when in actuality he was thinking something completely different which explains why I don’t always like first person POV stories. All-in-all this is a decent read. It seemed to hit more on romance for me and less on drama, even though some was tossed in just to stir up things a bit. I’m still wondering about the title though because that didn’t seem to apply to them in this story.
December 6, 2021
2 ⭐⭐ - Meh!
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‘THE Valentino king of rose-giving is on the loose again,’ Heather Gale remarked,
‘How long did this love interest last?’ she asked, knowing Heather enjoyed keeping tabs on his affairs. Jordan Powell was the rose farm’s biggest spender on the private-client list.
‘Stands to reason. He always starts off with the double chocolate fudge when he first sends roses to a new woman. Clearly into seduction at that point.’
‘Has he ever stuck with any woman very long?’ ‘According to my records, six months has been the top limit so far, and that was only once. The usual is two to four months.’
Her parents had never divorced but had lived separate lives, with Ivy being brought up by her father on the farm, while her mother indulged her need for cultural activities in the city.
Margaret cut in with a sniff of disgust at his obvious gullibility. ‘I don’t mind you having a string of affairs. At least that’s more honest than marrying and cheating. You can parade as many women as you like through this house, but I won’t be treated with disrespect.’
There were always beautiful women vying for his attention and he enjoyed having a taste of them, but none of them stayed as constantly delectable as Margaret’s meals.
‘Why not pursue it, at least for this evening?’ he pressed persuasively.
He’d just acted like a randy teenage boy who couldn’t wait to get his rocks off—a rampant bull, incapable of stopping. No sophistication. No finesse.
And worse! No thought of protection!
It all happened so fast, the jolt when he plunged into her, the savage joy of it, the relief, the release of all nerve-tearing tension as her inner muscles convulsed and creamed around the marvellously deep penetration.
‘I can’t believe I did that,’ he muttered, shock tumbling into words he didn’t mean to speak aloud. He was still out of control. ‘I can’t, either.’
Sex had never been like that for her … so compellingly reckless, so explosive, so erotically euphoric.
A billionaire would be a great catch for a farm girl.
Except the billionaire had no intention of being caught.
‘That was enough, Heather. You know he’s a playboy. I left while he was still asleep and ran into his housekeeper on my way out. If you’d seen the way she looked at me …’ ‘Another notch on his bedpost?’
He was hooked. But that didn’t mean he was caught.
Ivy gritted her teeth and revealed the truth. ‘You order them from me, Jordan. It’s my rose farm you deal with over the Internet. From this moment on, I’m writing you off as a client. When it’s over with me and you find someone else, find yourself another rose source. Okay?’
She simply couldn’t shake the fatalistic feeling that this harmony with Jordan was too good to last.
She loved him, loved everything about him. She lived for the next time they’d be together.
She had spoken the truth. All the weekends with Ivy had been a getaway from his normal life. It had made them special. She had made them special.
He hadn’t wanted anything she might not like to intrude on what they had together.
He’d deliberately spun that strategy out, using the cruise to keep it going, because he had expected their relationship to hit a snag somewhere along the line and come to an end. It was a perfectly rational expectation. He had actually anticipated his real life becoming one of the snags, not the omission of it.
‘I simply wanted you to be happy with me, Ivy,’ he explained.
‘Happy with where we were and what we were doing.’
‘Happy to be in your bed,’ she retorted fiercely, dashing the tears from her eyes, her chest heaving as she scooped in a deep breath and faced him with what she believed.
‘It’s just sex with you, isn’t it, Jordan? You’re not looking for a life partner. You certainly don’t see me as one. So why don’t you simply admit that and let me pass because we are not going anywhere any more.’
A life partner … No, he hadn’t been looking for one, had been determined on not going down the marital road with all its pitfalls to suck a man down.
Read
March 1, 2024Dnf 55% I'm quite bored😂
June 5, 2013
Rose Farm Girl Ivy Thornton knows all about billionaire playboy Jordan Powell's conquests, after all he orders his flowers from her and the pattern seems to repeat itself with frequency. At her mothers gallery show, Ivy met Jordan once, her appearance dismayed her mother but she felt comfortable in her own skin. Now her mother wants her to attend another showing, with the chance to dress up and pretend, if only for a night, that she is ust as good as the snobby patrons attending, Ivy dresses for success.
Jordan cannot take his eyes of Ivy, he remembers her and believes the timing is right to make his move. His move is shot down though quickly, and a few other attempts fail as well. Jordan has never met anyone like Ivy before and he wants to explore the chemistry between them. Ivy doesn't feel she will ever blend with his crowd, but Jordan is determined to keep her by his side. Can a farm girl and billionaire be a match made in heaven?
3.75
Cute story, I thought it was a fun read. Jordan is so perplexed by Ivy who has no problem telling him how she really feels, brutal honesty in it's finest form. For a light read this was a perfect blend of humor and romance.
Jordan cannot take his eyes of Ivy, he remembers her and believes the timing is right to make his move. His move is shot down though quickly, and a few other attempts fail as well. Jordan has never met anyone like Ivy before and he wants to explore the chemistry between them. Ivy doesn't feel she will ever blend with his crowd, but Jordan is determined to keep her by his side. Can a farm girl and billionaire be a match made in heaven?
3.75
Cute story, I thought it was a fun read. Jordan is so perplexed by Ivy who has no problem telling him how she really feels, brutal honesty in it's finest form. For a light read this was a perfect blend of humor and romance.
March 23, 2014
A sweet tale of romance of charming shy rose farmer and rich playboy. The playboy is totally charmed by the shy girl & really works on winning her over by protecting her & building up her confidence so she will be comfortable in his world. Not realizing he is in love he never says the words so the shy girl never believes they belong together. Only when he almost lost her does he realize her important to him and they plan to get married. A scandal occurs at their engagement party & he might loose her again - does he confess his love??????
June 7, 2021
Billionaire Jordan Powell is a regular favorite of Sydney's newspaper gossip pages—there's always a new photo of him…with a new woman on his arm!So, used to women falling at his feet, he finds the challenge of seducing farm girl Ivy Thornton—more comfortable in her overalls than designer outfits—a diverting amusement. His reward: sinful pleasure!But for Ivy, being the latest in a line of Jordan's disposable conquests isn't a role she's willing to accept…
November 10, 2020
Why I don't read Billionaire Romances:
*The treat heroine like doormat
* They are womeniser ,manwhores, treats wife or heroine like durt, they always have one or more mistress, fucking OM before and behind " h"
* Heroine is either virgin or inexperienced
* During separation they sleep around unashamedly, while h is remaining celibate
* Never punishe bitchy OWs and inlaws for torturing heroine.
Why I liked this book..
⭐Heroine Ivy Thrompton has a backbone
She earns own money,she is attracted to the Hero but put her foot down, not to be in casual sex
⭐Jordan Powell is a manwhore , already cheated by Ex, he wanted Ivy Thrompton as another mistress..
But he never cheated on her, respected her integrity, show her full respect..
The story so far..
Jordan Powell liked the farm girl Ivy and decided to go after her with full charm...
On the other hand Ivy already burnt by previous boyfriend , stayed away from manwhores like him..
Jordan made it his mission to ask Ivy to give him a chance...
He made it clear to his bitchy sister to respect Ivy and apologize her in words and in writing 👏👏👏
⭐He made sure that his mother and her bitchy friends welcome her with open arms...
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Overall a beautiful read
*The treat heroine like doormat
* They are womeniser ,manwhores, treats wife or heroine like durt, they always have one or more mistress, fucking OM before and behind " h"
* Heroine is either virgin or inexperienced
* During separation they sleep around unashamedly, while h is remaining celibate
* Never punishe bitchy OWs and inlaws for torturing heroine.
Why I liked this book..
⭐Heroine Ivy Thrompton has a backbone
She earns own money,she is attracted to the Hero but put her foot down, not to be in casual sex
⭐Jordan Powell is a manwhore , already cheated by Ex, he wanted Ivy Thrompton as another mistress..
But he never cheated on her, respected her integrity, show her full respect..
The story so far..
Jordan Powell liked the farm girl Ivy and decided to go after her with full charm...
On the other hand Ivy already burnt by previous boyfriend , stayed away from manwhores like him..
Jordan made it his mission to ask Ivy to give him a chance...
He made it clear to his bitchy sister to respect Ivy and apologize her in words and in writing 👏👏👏
⭐He made sure that his mother and her bitchy friends welcome her with open arms...
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Overall a beautiful read
August 12, 2020
2nd time reading this book. The title is very catching but it does not reflect the story at all. I don't get why that's the title but I can't not like the story. The story of a billionaire romance where one wants the relationship while the other is hesistant is pretty normal. The ups and downs were very timely to the story but I wished there were more drama. I think the author missed a good part to introduce a point of no return but its not necessary to the story. Overall, I find it tightly written.
January 16, 2021
3.5 stars
The plot moved relatively fast. Ivy runs a rose farm and her #1 private client has been casanova, Jordan, who sends roses to his lady friends when he's done with them. They meet for a second time at her mother's art show and the romance is off with a bang. I liked that Ivy was onto Jordan and his playboy ways and also tried to resist him but gave in because she wanted one night for herself. I liked Jordan's persistence in finding her and convincing her to give their relationship a chance.
**The title is deceiving because she's not a wife in public or private.
The plot moved relatively fast. Ivy runs a rose farm and her #1 private client has been casanova, Jordan, who sends roses to his lady friends when he's done with them. They meet for a second time at her mother's art show and the romance is off with a bang. I liked that Ivy was onto Jordan and his playboy ways and also tried to resist him but gave in because she wanted one night for herself. I liked Jordan's persistence in finding her and convincing her to give their relationship a chance.
**The title is deceiving because she's not a wife in public or private.
December 19, 2024
"Wife in Public" is the story of Ivy and Jordan.
A notorious womanizing playboy meets a skeptical rose farmer, and sparks fly. She initially resists him, but after a wild one night stand, he refuses to get go. But are his feelings superficial, or does he want more from their relationship?
I guess this was OK. I love the hero's perseverance, however struggled to understand his feelings because it felt like was more attracted to her than in love with her. All gets resolved after a bit of familial drama.
SWE
2.5/5
A notorious womanizing playboy meets a skeptical rose farmer, and sparks fly. She initially resists him, but after a wild one night stand, he refuses to get go. But are his feelings superficial, or does he want more from their relationship?
I guess this was OK. I love the hero's perseverance, however struggled to understand his feelings because it felt like was more attracted to her than in love with her. All gets resolved after a bit of familial drama.
SWE
2.5/5
October 19, 2023
Low angst, much lust. Outdoor shag on a car boot (trunk) in the street anyone? Presumably when you're a billionaire, public indecency rules don't apply. Bonus point for Margaret, the Oracle Housekeeper, who liked our h, rose grower Ivy, from the off. Jordan was just your average billionaire with bedroom skillz and a welcome tenacity.
December 5, 2017
Letto metà estratto. Protagonista vanesio e insopportabile lui. Oca lei.
April 19, 2019
Loved this story and it’s not that arrogant hero, it was nice that he was a little bit bossy but not arrogant and he stood up for his woman. Love it! And little twist at the end, great!
May 20, 2019
It started so funny, enjoyable and passionate.. and then I don't know! I just lost interest and when it ended, I kept looking for more pages. WTH!! was that the end?~! Garrh!!
March 15, 2021
This needed more angst, though the twist at the end was good! Glad for HEA
Read
May 25, 2021DNF
Read
June 24, 2023Its not trophy one its best to end.i think that age to read one gd like that .y cants stand to leave it even to finish with .
June 16, 2024
I LOVE THIS BOOK!
There is so much romance and almost insta love. Has a bit of steam for a HQN, main characters you like, the requisite amount of drama but no O/W or O/M.
A great read!
There is so much romance and almost insta love. Has a bit of steam for a HQN, main characters you like, the requisite amount of drama but no O/W or O/M.
A great read!
November 14, 2024
A quick, easy read ❤️
May 9, 2025
Love how in the end Jordan realized how much he loved Ivy. I do have to say nice plot twist at the end.
July 3, 2014
Ivy Thornton just wants to live life amongst her roses with her down to earth friends and away from the glamour of city life in Sydney that her mother things is awesome. I like this about Ivy. She has her head on firmly and is happy with her life though she wishes she dated more.
At the encouragement of her friend she decides to glam it up for her mom's gallery opening. She once met a really handsome guy (Jordan Powell) the last time she showed up for one of her mother's gallery functions except she was wearing jeans at the time. Such a faux pas, but Ivy doesn't care!
Jordan was very interested in Ivy but he had a date the first time they met. But things change and when they meet this time it's fireworks and all things great. Only Ivy goes into their affair thinking it's a one night stand because Jordan is a playboy. And seriously marriage phobic. The rest of the plot is Jordan feeling committed to Ivy while she chooses to move on.
I really enjoyed this story a lot. I thought that Ivy was a strong character and Jordan was an arrogant man shown his faults. Ivy's mother was a bit of fun too.
At the encouragement of her friend she decides to glam it up for her mom's gallery opening. She once met a really handsome guy (Jordan Powell) the last time she showed up for one of her mother's gallery functions except she was wearing jeans at the time. Such a faux pas, but Ivy doesn't care!
Jordan was very interested in Ivy but he had a date the first time they met. But things change and when they meet this time it's fireworks and all things great. Only Ivy goes into their affair thinking it's a one night stand because Jordan is a playboy. And seriously marriage phobic. The rest of the plot is Jordan feeling committed to Ivy while she chooses to move on.
I really enjoyed this story a lot. I thought that Ivy was a strong character and Jordan was an arrogant man shown his faults. Ivy's mother was a bit of fun too.
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