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The Innocent and the Playboy
"He's a heartbreaker and should leave a baby like you alone..."
These words had echoed around eighteen-year-old Rachel's head as she watched Ricky mix with some of the world's most beautiful people at the luxurious Villa Azul. At first he had seemed more approachable than the sophisticated crowd, but she had been deceived: he was no better than the rest. He was nothing more than a playboy, bent on seduction.
She had escaped him then, but now, nine years later, Riccardo di Stefano was the head of a multinational empire, threatening to take over Rachel's company. She was no longer an innocent--he had made sure of that--but was he still the consummate playboy?
These words had echoed around eighteen-year-old Rachel's head as she watched Ricky mix with some of the world's most beautiful people at the luxurious Villa Azul. At first he had seemed more approachable than the sophisticated crowd, but she had been deceived: he was no better than the rest. He was nothing more than a playboy, bent on seduction.
She had escaped him then, but now, nine years later, Riccardo di Stefano was the head of a multinational empire, threatening to take over Rachel's company. She was no longer an innocent--he had made sure of that--but was he still the consummate playboy?
- GenresHarlequin Romance
192 pages, Hardcover
First published April 11, 1997
About the author
Sophie Weston
184 books43 followersJenny Haddon was born in London, England, where she always returns after the travels that she loves. When she was small, her mother couldn't bear reading aloud, so her mother taught her to read at an appallingly precocious age. She wrote her first book with her own illustrations at the age of four but was in her 20s before she produced her first romance as Sophie Weston.
She studied English Language and Literature at university. Choosing a career was a major problem. It was not so much that she didn't know what she wanted to do, as that she wanted to do everything. So she filed and photocopied and experimented. She worked as consultant at the Bank of England and all the time she drew on her experiences to create her Mills & Boon books. She edited press releases for a Latin American embassy in London (The Latin Afffair); lectured in the Arabian Gulf (The Sheikh's Bride); waitressed in Paris (Midnight Wedding); and made herself hated by getting under people's feet asking stupid questions under the grand title of consultant all over the world (The Millionaire's Daughter). She also is an active member of the UK's Romantic Novelists' Association's Committee, and was its twenty-three Chairman (2005-2007).
Jenny has one house, three cats, and about a million books. She writes compulsively, Scottish dances poorly, grows more plants than she has room for, and makes a mean meringue.
She studied English Language and Literature at university. Choosing a career was a major problem. It was not so much that she didn't know what she wanted to do, as that she wanted to do everything. So she filed and photocopied and experimented. She worked as consultant at the Bank of England and all the time she drew on her experiences to create her Mills & Boon books. She edited press releases for a Latin American embassy in London (The Latin Afffair); lectured in the Arabian Gulf (The Sheikh's Bride); waitressed in Paris (Midnight Wedding); and made herself hated by getting under people's feet asking stupid questions under the grand title of consultant all over the world (The Millionaire's Daughter). She also is an active member of the UK's Romantic Novelists' Association's Committee, and was its twenty-three Chairman (2005-2007).
Jenny has one house, three cats, and about a million books. She writes compulsively, Scottish dances poorly, grows more plants than she has room for, and makes a mean meringue.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 19, 2013
I've reread this story (second chance) and it is quite good, with a h that stands up to H, remembering what happened when they first met nine years ago, where they only had a one-night-stand. Now H is the controlling owner of the company h is working in an executive post. But now she is a self-confident and grown-up woman who is not willing to be manipulated again.
October 28, 2019
2.5 stars.
In all honesty, this is not as bad as I expected. Mills and Boone is infamous for their formulaic, somewhat problematic romance novels, particularly those which are less contemporary. As a result, I was almost excited to read this for university, expecting to hate it and fully ready to criticise all the anti-feminist and cliche narratives it would throw my way. I didn't necessarily enjoy it, but it wasn't awful.
It follows Rachel - a risk assessor for a big bank - when she reunites with Riccardo di Steffano who she met nine years earlier as a young woman. Sparks flew back then but Rachel has spent almost a decade trying to forget about him and hoping he would do the same. But she is far from forgotten in his eyes and as much as she wants to hate him for his playboy ways, her feelings for him have never changed.
Ok, I know I said this wasn't as bad as I expected, but I'm going to spend the rest of this review criticising it and pointing out the things I didn't like. Apologies.
Rachel - as much as I admired her commitment to her career and respected her for coping with difficult responsibilities at a relatively young age, her character was extremely annoying. She constantly tried to remain strong and ward off Riccardo, but her attempts were feeble and far from what she could be capable of. What's more, she falls for the American way too quickly for reasons beyond my understanding, and then even more quickly she decides she hates him. I remain very confused.
Riccardo - this playboy fits most of the Mills and Boone stereotypes I have been warned about. He is handsome, rich, powerful and not short of female attention, yet we learn nothing at all about his actual personality and background and are expected to swoon and fall at his feet like Rachel does after barely a day?! He is also waving red flags around like he's cheering someone on. On multiple occasions he displays stalkerish behaviour; inviting himself to Rachel's house and entering her room at night whilst she's asleep. Rachel is supposed to be a smart girl, but she lets this behaviour go with barely any comment. Finally, Riccardo di Steffano is literally full-named until about half way through the book. If that isn't a sign that his character needs more work, I don't know what is. I feel as though his full name meant so much and had so much weight behind it for Weston, she expected her readers to be able to see it all whenever they read it, but this was not the reality. I didn't know Riccardo at all, and the full-naming just made him feel all the more detached and foreign.
Writing Style - I got used to it after a while, but Weston's style just sounds like she is trying way too hard. I found a number of unusual phrases used over and over again throughout the book and they stuck out as if they'd been highlighted. Things like 'he drawled' and 'pursed his lips in a silent whistle' were repeated too many times to ignore and just threw me out of the narrative.
It is worth noting that these popular, yet formulaic and relatively easy romances are not my usual preference. Whilst I appreciate the romantic genre and understand why it is so popular (I, for one, will love almost any romantic film you throw at me), it is likely I would never have picked up a Mills and Boone book if it weren't for the module I'm currently doing. I have enjoyed YA romances in the past, but I can't cope with characters like this, especially when I am already so far from their lives that they are near impossible to relate to or understand. I think I'll stay away from books like this in the future...
In all honesty, this is not as bad as I expected. Mills and Boone is infamous for their formulaic, somewhat problematic romance novels, particularly those which are less contemporary. As a result, I was almost excited to read this for university, expecting to hate it and fully ready to criticise all the anti-feminist and cliche narratives it would throw my way. I didn't necessarily enjoy it, but it wasn't awful.
It follows Rachel - a risk assessor for a big bank - when she reunites with Riccardo di Steffano who she met nine years earlier as a young woman. Sparks flew back then but Rachel has spent almost a decade trying to forget about him and hoping he would do the same. But she is far from forgotten in his eyes and as much as she wants to hate him for his playboy ways, her feelings for him have never changed.
Ok, I know I said this wasn't as bad as I expected, but I'm going to spend the rest of this review criticising it and pointing out the things I didn't like. Apologies.
Rachel - as much as I admired her commitment to her career and respected her for coping with difficult responsibilities at a relatively young age, her character was extremely annoying. She constantly tried to remain strong and ward off Riccardo, but her attempts were feeble and far from what she could be capable of. What's more, she falls for the American way too quickly for reasons beyond my understanding, and then even more quickly she decides she hates him. I remain very confused.
Riccardo - this playboy fits most of the Mills and Boone stereotypes I have been warned about. He is handsome, rich, powerful and not short of female attention, yet we learn nothing at all about his actual personality and background and are expected to swoon and fall at his feet like Rachel does after barely a day?! He is also waving red flags around like he's cheering someone on. On multiple occasions he displays stalkerish behaviour; inviting himself to Rachel's house and entering her room at night whilst she's asleep. Rachel is supposed to be a smart girl, but she lets this behaviour go with barely any comment. Finally, Riccardo di Steffano is literally full-named until about half way through the book. If that isn't a sign that his character needs more work, I don't know what is. I feel as though his full name meant so much and had so much weight behind it for Weston, she expected her readers to be able to see it all whenever they read it, but this was not the reality. I didn't know Riccardo at all, and the full-naming just made him feel all the more detached and foreign.
Writing Style - I got used to it after a while, but Weston's style just sounds like she is trying way too hard. I found a number of unusual phrases used over and over again throughout the book and they stuck out as if they'd been highlighted. Things like 'he drawled' and 'pursed his lips in a silent whistle' were repeated too many times to ignore and just threw me out of the narrative.
It is worth noting that these popular, yet formulaic and relatively easy romances are not my usual preference. Whilst I appreciate the romantic genre and understand why it is so popular (I, for one, will love almost any romantic film you throw at me), it is likely I would never have picked up a Mills and Boone book if it weren't for the module I'm currently doing. I have enjoyed YA romances in the past, but I can't cope with characters like this, especially when I am already so far from their lives that they are near impossible to relate to or understand. I think I'll stay away from books like this in the future...
February 27, 2020
Rachel had to take a trip to a Caribbean Island with her stepmother when she was eighteen years old. She hated living in Villa Azul and its snobbish occupants, and since she had no friends and people her age there, she preferred to be alone with the beach and her books. Until a tanned stranger, called Rick, arrived and treated her as a worthy interesting human being. She thought he was different and her feelings flourished towards him and he presumed she was a worker in Villa Azul. Therefore, it was a devastating shock when Rachel discovered later he was actually a millionaire called Riccardo de Stefano and he was just playing with her. She decided to take revenge, but her plan backfired and she was scalded in the process and so she fled. Nine years later, Riccardo enters her life again. He now wants the bank she works in and her in the process!
An enjoyable read. It has all the successful elements of intensity and angst plus strong lovable characters. The only thing I found a little disturbing is the one-day-falling-in-love thing. Otherwise, it's a recommended read.
An enjoyable read. It has all the successful elements of intensity and angst plus strong lovable characters. The only thing I found a little disturbing is the one-day-falling-in-love thing. Otherwise, it's a recommended read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2011
This is a second-chance story, which I usually enjoy. More of the book was spent in flashback to when the heroine was 18 and first encountered (ahem) the hero than I would have liked. This was a bit of a drag; the older I get, the less interest I have in an 18-year-old's drama. Anyway, the scenes in the "present" were very engaging - the heroine's snappy promise to sue the hero for sexual harassment if he insisted that going to dinner with him was part of her employment responsibilities and her realistically challenging relationship with her step-children were highlights. The rebuilding of the relationship and explanations for why he never contacted her all those years ago were satisfyingly romantic.
abrierto-to-read-hr-other
August 28, 2022"He's a heartbreaker and should leave a baby like you alone..."
These words had echoed around eighteen-year-old Rachel's head as she watched Ricky mix with some of the world's most beautiful people at the luxurious Villa Azul. At first he had seemed more approachable than the sophisticated crowd, but she had been deceived: he was no better than the rest. He was nothing more than a playboy, bent on seduction.
She had escaped him then, but now, nine years later, Riccardo di Stefano was the head of a multinational empire, threatening to take over Rachel's company. She was no longer an innocent--he had made sure of that--but was he still the consummate playboy?
These words had echoed around eighteen-year-old Rachel's head as she watched Ricky mix with some of the world's most beautiful people at the luxurious Villa Azul. At first he had seemed more approachable than the sophisticated crowd, but she had been deceived: he was no better than the rest. He was nothing more than a playboy, bent on seduction.
She had escaped him then, but now, nine years later, Riccardo di Stefano was the head of a multinational empire, threatening to take over Rachel's company. She was no longer an innocent--he had made sure of that--but was he still the consummate playboy?
September 30, 2020
I found this book strangely moving. I liked her for her strength and vulnerability, and her relationship with her stepchildren was realistically portrayed. I understood his cynicism and I liked the way he kept trying to breach her defenses and make a place in her life. The dialogue is well done, and I could feel the tension and the attraction. I liked the way she gave as good as she got. I only wish he had a longer grovel moment, I thought she overlooked his misjudgment of her too easily.
May 21, 2025
It's been forever since I've read a Harlequin I actually really liked, which is why I rarely read them anymore. This one was actually good. Rating for a category romance, not a generalized book rating though :D
April 14, 2024
I liked both main characters and the way they reconnected after 9 years. Especially appreciated he was bowled over and stayed in love.
1st reread. This is in my Excellent shelf and I’ll reread parts when I need a dose of solid romance with well-developed characters. The first time I didn’t quite understand some of the H’s emotional responses but reread it’s clear. H and h spent a long afternoon together, he slept several hours but they talked a lot first. When H saw h all dolled up at the party that afternoon she gave impression she was deliberately after him. She was in a way, she wanted to pay him back for not being the man she thought and she was in love and his cynicism and hard, cold arrogance hurt her.
She knew he was furious but she didn’t quite know why, author implies H thought she was stringing him along in a planned campaign to get his attention - just like the other ladies on the make. Rereading I think there is more. H was furious h was not the sweet, real-life girl he thought and with whom he fell in love. Same reason h was furious, I love you but you aren’t who you should be.
H obviously was in love and stayed in love with her. He looked for her, kept the hibiscus she had worn, forced her to engage with him.
1st reread. This is in my Excellent shelf and I’ll reread parts when I need a dose of solid romance with well-developed characters. The first time I didn’t quite understand some of the H’s emotional responses but reread it’s clear. H and h spent a long afternoon together, he slept several hours but they talked a lot first. When H saw h all dolled up at the party that afternoon she gave impression she was deliberately after him. She was in a way, she wanted to pay him back for not being the man she thought and she was in love and his cynicism and hard, cold arrogance hurt her.
She knew he was furious but she didn’t quite know why, author implies H thought she was stringing him along in a planned campaign to get his attention - just like the other ladies on the make. Rereading I think there is more. H was furious h was not the sweet, real-life girl he thought and with whom he fell in love. Same reason h was furious, I love you but you aren’t who you should be.
H obviously was in love and stayed in love with her. He looked for her, kept the hibiscus she had worn, forced her to engage with him.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews