Innocent in the Ivory Tower

by Lucy Ellis

When purity and passion collide ...

Nanny Maisy Edmonds is furious when a stranger tries to take her orphaned little charge - stealing a shockingly explicit kiss from her into the bargain! Can infamous tycoon Alexei Ranaevsky really be the child's godfather? Installed in Alexei's remote Italian villa, Maisy is intent on protecting little Kostya - and nothing else ...

Alexei's childhood-turned-nightmare means he allows himself no emotional attachments. But Maisy's beguiling sweetness has the uncompromising Russian determined to seduce her down from her inexperienced pedestal ...

Genres: Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

Reviews

[StMargarets · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this one. He's a brooding billionaire Russian, scarred by his years in an orphanage, who is now guardian of a two year-old boy. She's the boy's nanny, a curvy red-head who has never had a job and has had sex once. (The author makes heavy weather of that one uncomfortable encounter and fluffs over the hero's man whore ways.)

There's a lot of worry/discussion/angst about whores and golddiggers and paying for sex and what the heroine's title should be now that she has entered the hero's bed, but not his heart. That he didn't respect her at the beginning - and that she didn't respect herself - really got to me. I don't think the story ever recovered from the hero's insults and heroine easy capitulation into his bed. The author underlined this point by having the hero's top security guy being disrespectful to her and the heroine not feeling good about her situation when she had to "come out" as his mistress at the yacht party.

And there were some contradictions that I had trouble reconciling. The heroine was always patting herself on the back for being maternal and not materialistic, but all we see her do is spend a lot of time getting ready for the hero, shopping for pretty clothes for the hero and spending time in the hero's bed. Odd, since she's supposed to be watching a two year-old.

The hero was rude one minute - pushing the heroine away with insults - and tender and loving a moment later. For instance, the hero sneers at her strapless dress and her careful makeup when she has dinner with him the first time. When she turns to away in humiliation, she falls and hurts her shoulder. Then the hero is remorseful and calls the doctor. Nothing in that scene endeared me to the hero.

That he was attracted to her was in no doubt, but his epiphany that she would always be a part of the little boy's life didn't really resonate with me. That's when he decides he's in love?

I can't imagine what kind of life they're going to have together with the 12 man security team and the yacht, the seven houses. Again, another contradiction: the heroine just got her first job for a whole month, loves the simple, independent life and now she's going to go back to the luxury fast track? There's no epilogue to show how that works.

I felt unsettled after reading this. Lynne Graham could sell this kind of power imbalance with her sweet and wholesome heroines and her vulnerable protector heroes. This just felt sleazy - with the heroine selling herself short without a lot of life experience to know any better.

[willaful · Rating 3 out of 5]

This may be a first: I've read any number of Harlequin Presents with classically abusive heroes... but an abusive heroine? The further I went in this book, the more uncomfortable I became with Maisy. Along with being thoroughly self-absorbed, she's physically violent towards Alexei twice, refuses to respect his direct requests for privacy numerous times, and constantly nags. Alexei is obviously miserable; I kept envisioning him with a hangdog expression, and I wound up feeling sorry for him, just like I have in real life for male friends who had bitchy, controlling girlfriends.

Aside from that, there's a lot of head-hopping and the style is kind of... flitty, for my tastes. Maisy refers to their interactions as "an emotional marathon" and reading this felt like one. And the part about Maisy insisting on spending her own money... great, but she's never had a paying job, where does this miraculous money come from?

Still, something kept me eagerly reading and there was a freshness to the characters and the author's voice; I'll try her again.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars ~ Nothing was going to keep Maisy from caring for her best friend's two year old son after the tragic car accident that orphaned him, especially not the boy's godfather, Alexei. The Russian tycoon had barged into their lives and made it absolutely clear who Kostya's guardian was, and he whisked them off to his home base in Italy. Maisy was unlike any woman Alexei had ever known, soft, sweet, and incredibly appealing, a combination that had his libido working overtime. Only 23, Maisy has very limited experience with men, and no experience with wolves like Alexei, yet she can't deny the passion he flares in her. Uncertain of what her role as his lover means, she can't stop herself from losing her heart. Alexei proves to be a caring man, but when he finds Maisy getting too close he rebuilds his emotional walls and makes it clear that their affair will end. Their love for Kostya is their stable ground, and when Alexei finally realizes that they've been building a family, it's almost too late.

This is Ms. Ellis' debut romance and I was immediately drawn into the emotional highs and lows of her characters. The magnetic attraction between Maisy and Alexei has them both feeling overwhelmed and out of control. Maisy's inexperience makes her insecure and easily hurt by Alexei's inability to let her in. He fights his own battles of insecurity from a childhood of abandonment and depravity, and though he wants more than anything to keep Maisy wrapped in his arms, he doesn't know how. There's a lot of topsy-turvy emotions, and some of the switches in POV lacked flow, but all in all this is an angsty read well suited to where the brand, Harlequin Presents. Ms. Ellis has a refreshing voice and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally well-written, but there were many sentences and phrases that just dint make sense to me. Perhaps there was an attempt to be dramatically profound, but I found a lot of it opaque and inaccessible. Their reactions just didn't follow from the previous words or actions, so I felt confused. It reminded me of how I felt while watching the movie Eyes Wide Shut. Trying too hard?

She was a scholarship kid who never earned a penny so how did she afford so much shopping? How did she wind up in bed with him after he said such terrible things to her, accusing her of being a lying, gold-digging whore, and she was so turned off? It just didn't make sense. The whole yacht scene and fight in front of his friends...just weird. But some good angst. Very promising author...

[Penny Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russian heroes are my kryptonite!

Even though the back-and-forth stuff started to get irritating after a while, I am so glad I stuck with this. I adored the premise for the book, I loved both the hero and heroine, I loved the scene with all of his Russian friends--brilliant funny dialogue--and the ending is one of the BEST endings ever in an HP.

I usually complain about the ending, too abrupt or whatever. This one was perfection.

Holy Babushka! I need more Russian heroes like this.

Loved this book!

BEWARE: SPOILERS AHEAD...PS--The scene where the baby screams "Mama" made me tear up. I am a sucker for "alternative family" stories, and this one--nanny with a heart of gold and scarred Russian hero thrust unwillingly into the role of father--was so emotional and romantic.

Sigh. This is romance.

[Roub · Rating 4 out of 5]

this definitely is one of LG's favourite tropes and i actually thought i was reading one of her books! lol. i enjoyed seeing alexei going marshmallow over maisy. it was obvious he really cared for her; for she was so good and generous, and she was gold where kostya was concerned! i enjoyed seeing alexei so possessive of her and even jealous of her undying loyalty to the baby. i mean, the baby came first for her! alexei had his issues but this did not make him cruel towards maisy. he tried but he cud not. he was actually incredibly sweet in his own way!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hero Alexei and the heroine Maisy meet when Alexei rushes in to claim to his godson after the death of the little boy's parents. Maisy has been looking after him since he was born after his mother, Maisy's best friend, struggled to cope. She begs Alexei to let her stay with the baby. Alexei agrees both for the baby's benefit and his own, as for reasons that baffle him he is entranced by Maisy. Maisy is also drawn to Alexei and this disturbs her, she doesn't have that much experience with men and knows that Alexei is not really the 'forever' type. But despite their attempts to ingore the desire between them, it's not long before they give in and begin an affair. Yet cracks soon show in their relationship, especially when it comes to Maisy's loyalty to the baby and Alexei's very busy lifestyle, and neither of them are willing to budge.

I really hoped that I would like this more than I actually did. Don't get me wrong, it is an enjoyable book but, for me, it just didn't seem to click. The plot, while very well written, is a little contrived and the pace felt a little jumpy at times. There seemed to be a lot of issues raised then forgotten about, which is frustrating. I liked the dialogue between the hero and heroine, there is a lot of it and it is very entertaining to read, but again at times this jumped around a little.
There is nothing really bad in this book, but nothing really great either. It didn't hold my attention and for a first book by an author, I was a little disappointed. Especially when I compare it to first books by other recent new authors, such as Lynn Raye Harris, Aimee Carson, Maisey Yates, and Natasha Tate, whose first books were fantastic. But, I will definitely be reading future books by Lucy Ellis, as there is something there...

This is an enjoyable book and worth a read, but one that doesn't quite reach it's potential.


Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....

[Shallowreader VaVeros · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. It is classic alpha gazillionaire Russian meets contemporary female and loves her. Not a "feisty" woman but a lovely character very much in tune with what she wants to do in life. I love that she says " I'm not your mistress, I'm your girlfriend'. LOVE! Oh! And there's a great vomit scene!

[Glynda Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Harlequin romances and have been reading them since I was 17. I am now 65. Long time. So, when I rate them, I compare them to each other. I believe you have to compare like to like.

[Lisa Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★✩✩

[Jo]

Sigo sin superar la escenita donde los protagonistas se lamentan porque él no fue su primer amante. Solo les faltó abrazarse y ponerse a llorar, en serio.

Eran todo el rato, algo como:

Ella: Me hubiera gustado que hubieses sido tú.
Él: Me hubiese gustado ser yo.
Ella: Fue una única y primera patética primera vez.
Él: Yo te hubiese dado una maravillosa primera vez. Te habría llevado a una suite...

Y así TODO el rato tras su primera vez.

De verdad, me pareció lamentable e innecesaria. . Ni siquiera entiendo, porque la autora si taaaanto le gustaba vender a la heroina como si fuera una inocente virgen, pone que no lo es por semejante mamarrachada. Sobretodo cuando te la presentaba como alguien serio, con cabeza, tradicional... y decide irse a la cama con un tipo que apenas conocía de nada, porque... porque... No sé aún ni por qué. Creo que simplemente a la autora le daba alergía escribir una heroína virgen, pero si quería venderla como tal, y se saccó de la manga una... primera y patética primera vez con un tipo (como lo describe la heroína) que en realidad no sirvió para nada... Bueno, sip, sirvió para leer a dos boludos lamentándose como niños post orgasmo.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alexei Ranaevsky is the guardian of the little boy of his close friend. When he friend passes away unexpectedly with his wife, he goes to claim the boy. He had not expected Nanny Maisy Edmonds to be adamant about staying on as his caregiver. Alexei is instantly attracted to Maisy, he wants her and he plans to have her but when Maisy's feelings get involved everything changes. Alexei doesn't believe in love so what will happen when their tryst is doomed to fail when they want separate things.

I liked the beginning a lot but as the story progressed it got a bit too much angsty. Liked Alexei he is intense but Maisy was like a yo-yo of emotions. Good but too much drama for me.

[Sharyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sitting in bed with a cold and many book club books to read, I had to find a brainless one because I couldn't concentrate. Usually Harlequin's titles have some relation to the book, but this one not at all. Russian billionaire becomes guardian to an orphan infant, who of course comes with a beautiful nanny, who is one of the most obnoxious heroines I have come across in a long time. The whole story needs more disbelief suspending than usual.

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable

Heartwarming and adorable. These two were just... Adorable. Maisey and Alexei had a lot of growing to do in their relationship. Adult content but it was sweet despite that.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was EXTREMELY bothered by this book. I'm all for a brooding, closed off hero & an extremely patient heroine trying to "break through walls", but I personally felt that these two were hardly redeemable in my eyes. The author tries to sell me on the idea that he doesn't know how to at least treat a woman because he's so used to keeping that a distance but this guy I such an ASS!! He constantly does things that make it seem like she's a "mistress" (that's the nicest term I can think of). He didn't do one thing that I considered truly kind or heartfelt. Then there is the heroine. UGH!!! She let's herself get treated like a "mistress" (once again, the nice term), then finally when she gets a little backbone & stands up for herself she just ends up having sex with him within "10" min!!! Then she realizes she's in love with him, which completely stumps me because he didn't do anything worthy enough to deserve her love other than make her orgasm!! Once she comes to this realization the author lets us into her mind where she starts twisting all the asshole things he did into a "positive" way saying he was just scared. That way of thinking is so convoluted!!!! Basically this book tells me that it's ok to lack self respect get treated like crap as long as you can believe that the man is scared to love you. GAG!! To me, the definition of a MAN is one who can be all sexy, manly, & broody but still treat others with consideration & respect. Be closed off, but do it in a way that's redeemable! As far as the heroine goes, I'm all for being understanding & patient, but do it with self respect & have some strength. Overall I would NOT recommend this book.

[Susan in Perthshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great premise and a great set of main characters, but I didn’t think the author got the right balance in them and there were some serious plot holes. Maisey had never worked - where did she get all her money?

There was some really harsh and cruel stuff going on which didn’t match up with the sensitivity and consideration at other times. Alexei behaved so badly at the beginning that I couldn’t understand why Maisey would succumb so fast.

The Alexei revealed himself to be a much more sensitive man whilst Maisey was so horrendously self absorbed, manipulative and insensitive to Alexei. And the violence from Maisey was just totally unacceptable. By the end I loved Alexei but struggled to engage with Maisey’s character. And four weeks of being alone was hardly solid proof that she was now independent.

The ending was disappointing- I wanted more romance - I wanted an epilogue!

But it was still an enjoyable read and I’ll be reading more of this author.

[Kat at Book Thingo · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read my full review at Book Thingo.

Skim through the beginning, because when this book gets good, it’s, oh, so very good. Alexei and Maisy may reflect the traditional alpha male and ingénue pairing in category romance, but they don’t always behave as expected. And that’s a good thing.

Once you get past the outrageous beginning, you won’t be sorry, because the story is actually quite lovely, and Alexei generally comes across as someone who understands Maisy and wants the best for her.

Yes, there are times when Alexei verges into uber-alpha male domain, but author Lucy Ellis pulls him back before he goes too far. There are some gorgeous moments in this book, and the book had me hooked after a scene in which Maisy throws Alexei’s accusations that she’s dressing up for the local men back in his face, and instead of acting like a petulant brat as I was expecting, he walks away.

And Maisy isn’t always your typical naive heroine. She shows flashes of naughtiness and humour that are just delightful. When Alexei invites her to fix herself up, Maisy wonders if, with enough force, the soap dish would crack his skull. When she has an orgasm after some vigorous but non-penetrative activity, she’s mortified that she’s used Alex as a sex toy.

I’ll be honest. There are some odd notes in the dialogue, the plot and the characters, but none big enough to dampen my enjoyment of the story or my fondness for this couple.

[Sara HarlequinJunkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my full review on my Blog HarlequinJunkie

‘Innocent in the Ivory’ was great fast paced read by Harlequin Presents debut author Lucy Ellis’s this book was engaging from get go. Alexei Ranaevsky and Maisy Edmonds meet when Alexei’s godson Kostya is orphaned following the death of his parents and being cared for by his nanny Maisy.

Alexei Ranaevsky the infamous Russian billionaire playboy unlike true to form Presents hero’s, was larger than life, an endearing Alpha hero you will fall in love with. Nanny Maisy Edmonds was shy and sassy a great combination of character traits. The chemistry between Alexei and Maisy sizzled of the pages; the dialogues between the characters and the narration was fresh, witty and very well written.

A couple of extracts from the book:

  “It’s safe to look, dushka. Although I’ve got no idea what’s spooked you, Maisy. It’s not as if you haven’t been introduced.”
“Maisy, I’m a bit toxic at the moment. You need to give me a wide berth. Can you do that?”
“You are an amazing man Alexei Ranaevsky. I don’t think I’ve stopped long enough to smell the coffee on that one.” 

I would have liked to read an epilogue, the ending kind of felt rushed to me and for that I have to give this book a 4 star. I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more from Lucy Ellis.

[Kerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Writer Ellis didn't mess around... no sooner had I read the first chapter and superhunk Alexei was swearing in Russian and ripping clothes from the nanny's body!

There was supposed to be a loose story in there somewhere about protecting a 2 year old orphan boy, but that was actually lost in the whirlwind of jetset locations, where Alexei and Maisy spent more time engaging in different sexual positions than spending any time with the child, meaning that I was actually getting quite angry.

Appallingly written, bloodied with horrible dialogue and detestable wooden stereotypes of characters and with no suspense, this is one of the worst books I've read in a while.

[Tonya Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable story.

Maisy is much more than the nanny for orphaned little Kostya. Maisy has been with him since he was born, caring for him, loving him, and raising him. Her friend from school, Anais and her husband, Leo were the high-flying, rich types with rare chances to stay home and raise their son. After their unexpected deaths, Alexei came and took her by storm.

Alexei knew his godson belonged with him. Terrified of a real relationship, he tries to place Maisy in to his life at a distance, but she refused to be boxed.

[RomLibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nanny Maisy Edmonds is furious when a stranger tries to take her orphaned little charge—stealing a shockingly explicit kiss from her in the process! Can infamous tycoon Alexei Ranaevsky really be the child's godfather? Installed in Alexei's remote Italian villa, Maisy is intent on protecting little Kostya—and doing nothing else....

Alexei's childhood-turned-nightmare means he allows himself no emotional attachments. But Maisy's beguiling sweetness has the uncompromising Russian determined to seduce her down from her inexperienced pedestal....

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[Gege86 · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a first published novel for this author, it was good. Although there was some complains, in few parts I didn’t really understand what was going on, and most of the time I didn't know from which prospective the story was being told.
There was some unexplainable actions from the heroine and the hero, and really I didn’t love either of them in one part or other in the novel.
All in all a good read even though it have the potential to be so much better.

[Alannah Harte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Ms. Ellis first modern romance. Great characterisation and the story had a lovely pace and readability. The hero was smoulderingly gorgeous which is always good and the heroine was likeable. I felt slightly cheated at the end though. I would have liked a more climactic finish and an epilogue but overall I was impressed. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Ellis.

[Bridie Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent

Great debut novel - runner up in M&B's New Voices competition 2010. Steamy, emotional, conflict, stunning Russian male and divine female and a great setting - what more could you ask for.

Looking forward to Lucy's next book!

Highly recommended

[Dalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is flawless, the characters are well rounded but I really hate the kept mistress theme that is why I didn't enjoy this book as I expected.

[Natália Eduardo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Irritante.