Conflict of Hearts

by Liz Fielding

Bachelor alert!

"Your word, like any other woman's, Kate, is worthless."

Kate's latest assignment was the answer to her prayers, but she'd have turned it down flat if she'd known that Jason Warwick was to be her boss! His devastating looks ensured constant female attention, yet he cynically branded all women as faithless and incapable of love.

Kate wasn't interested in a temporary affair, but that was all Jason appeared to be offering. So conjuring up an imaginary boyfriend seemed the best defense against his seductive charm. But who was Kate really deceiving--Jason, or herself?

Genres: Harlequin Romance, Harlequin

188 pages

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Hi, I'm Liz Fielding, and I'm a best selling contemporary romance author with more than 15 million books in print and Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring me with the Romantic Novelists' Association's Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said - "Liz Fielding's books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre..."

And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."

Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.

My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.

For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter

Reviews

[Naksed · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor heroine whose life is manipulated and ruined by the zero hero and his harpy sisters. Hero's youngest sister stole heroine's boyfriend, trapping him into marriage via the old pregnancy trap then mysteriously "miscarried” after she had safely locked him into matrimony. Hero's older sister seduces Heroine’s father, an old fool who chucks his own daughter and the memory of his first wife in the trash in favor of his hot new young wife. The zero hero of this piece mercilessly slut-shames and manipulates heroine into a marriage of convenience just to keep her from "ruining" his sisters’ respective marriages. Heroine’s ex-boyfriend has finally realized his new bride’s long con and has deep regrets. He wants to go back to heroine who, in the only wise move she makes in the entire story, tells him he’s made his bed, now he has to sleep in it. But the heroine is somehow considered the BAD GUY in this story according to all and sundry *face palm*

Totally irredeemable characters who get away with every trashy thing they put the heroine through and the heroine is just grateful to sit at the foot of the table and get crumbs (like being taken to see Placido Domingo in Aida at the foot of the Ancient Pyramids is supposed to make up for months of psychological torture). This poor woman is going to live the remainder of her life as the Cinderella to her two ugly sisters-in-law while her Prince Charming reverts to his true self of a warty toad. Would recommend this book only to masochists 🤡

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok I guess.

[MissKitty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way more angsty than the last one i read by this author.

Hero was a duche. The twist in the end came out of nowhere and didnt fit in with the story at all. Also a coincidence of that magnitude suspends belief.

SPOILER

The new rebound wife of the heroines ex-boyfriend turns out to be

Dun dun dun....

The Hero’s half sister! 😳

Ah really? It didn’t help the plot at all....

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars! ~ All Lizzie had ever wanted was for her father to be happy. Over hearing a telephone call by his bride to be that made it obvious that Olivia was ruthless and taking advantage of him, Lizzie tried to tell her father. He refused to listen, and then Olivia declared to her brother Noah that Lizzie was causing trouble and needed to be kept away. To give the newlyweds their space, Noah promised to take Lizzie to stay in London with him. But at the wedding comes the young man that Lizzie had thought she was in love with, and along with him is his newly wedded wife. The shock is quite obvious, and Noah believes Lizzie's going to try to destroy another marriage. So Noah contrives a false relationship between himself and Lizzie, making it appear to all that they are lovers. When it looks like Lizzie is determined to be with Peter, he forces Lizzie to marry him. What Noah doesn't know is that Lizzie marries him because she needs Peter to realize that she doesn't love him and that he belongs with his pregnant wife. Noah doesn't hide his disapproval and disdain, and Lizzie bites back with cutting barbs whenever he taunts her. The sparks fly and so does their chemistry. Only Noah goes a bit too far, and Lizzie realizes that loving a husband who despises her is beyond bearable.

While we're not given Noah's point of view, we are often shown how puzzled he is by Lizzie. He has a belief of her character and is sometimes brutal in his behaviour towards her. Lizzie doesn't see the point in trying to defend her character, it would all fall on deaf ears. When Olivia admits she'd lied to Noah about Lizzie as a matchmaking ploy, Noah has to come to terms with what he's done. Until he realizes that Lizzie must still love Peter terribly in order to sacrifice herself to save Peter's marriage, then he hates her again for using him. Lizzie is caught in so many webs, and regrets taunting Noah, fearing that making him believe the worst of her has made it certain that he'll never love her in return. Ah, so much angst! I love a story where the hero and heroine seem to constantly misunderstand each other, when in fact, they've both been in love right from the beginning! Conflict of Hearts lives up to it's title

[Lyana Margareth · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a reread this year during the Year That Was Coronavirus , downgraded this to a 3. The sister/mother in law is insane.